19TH CENTURY

The varying heights and the openwork scroll, box-form construction of this three-tiered stand are suggestive of larger display cabinets. A related pair of gilt-decorated black lacquer cabinets, dating to the Qianlong period, in the Palace Museum Collection, is illustrated by E. Rawski and J. Rawson, China: The Three Emperors, 1662-1795, Royal Academy of Arts, London, 2005, p. 296, pl. 221, offers a similar method of display, with shelves divided into various geometric shapes and sizes and decorated with carved archaistic scroll-work borders. Also illustrated, pp. 258-9, pl. 173, is a painting by anonymous court artists, Twelve Beauties at Leisure Painted for Prince Yinzhen, the Future Yongzheng Emperor, dating to the late Kangxi period (between 1709-1723), which depicts an elegantly dressed lady seated on a spotted-bamboo chair beside a pair of tall shelved cabinets, also with archaistic scroll work borders. See, also, an ink painting sold at Christie's New York, 17 March 2015, lot 3751, which depicts a similar multi-tiered shelving unit.

A related zitan display stand, dating to the 19th century, with three tiered platforms and similarly carved with panels of archaistic scrollwork is in the Liang Yi Collection, and illustrated by C. Evarts, Liang Yi Collection: Small Objects, Hong Kong, 2007, pp. 142-3, pl. 88.