The classical Chinese furniture from Weiyang: literati culture and craftsmanship in the Yangzhou region during the Ming and Qing dynasties

Abstract

In recent decades, Chinese classical furniture from the sixteenth through the nineteenth centuries has become a major focus of international collectors and design scholars, who recognize a contemporary appeal in the furniture's grace and simplicity. Zhang Jinhua uncovers an overlooked genre of material from the Weiyang region, made of local zhazhen wood. Zhang, who is a scholar and restorer of antique Chinese furniture, provides a broad introductory view of the literary, historical, aesthetic, social, and economic context in which the furniture was created, and expertly charts specific differences of details in design. At the heart of the book is the furniture itself, from bonsai stands to painting tables and elaborate canopy beds, which have been superbly photographed for this collection, presenting many pieces for the first time in publication. In addition, detailed drawings provide an intimate look at the ingenuity of many of the pieces. This is the first book to look exclusively at furniture from this region and will be essential for collectors and scholars with an interest in this vital time and place in Chinese art history. Translated by Don J. Cohn.

Contents

Volume 1. Historical introduction and structural analysis -- Volume 2. Representative examples.