A VERY RARE CARVED JICHIMU AND ZITAN LUOHAN BED

The imposing zitan base of the present luohan bed is carved across the apron and legs with archaistic scroll work and ruyi medallions at the corners and fitted with jichimu back and side panels framed in zitan and further decorated with pierced zitan panels with dragons amidst clouds. Each rectangular jichimu panel is finely carved with pavilions nestled in a mountainous landscape. The present luohan bed closely relates to a zitan and jichimu luohan bed in the Palace Museum and illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum - 54 - Furniture of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Hong Kong, 2002, pp. 14-15, pl. 9. This combination of jichimu and zitan can be seen in other forms such as a zitan standing screen supporting a jichimu inlaid panel carved with a terraced pavilion reserved on a blue lacquer ground, illustrated in ibid., p. 198, pl. 173.