Plum red lacquered cabinet with prosperity motifs

Short description:

Late 19th century

• elm
• 96cm W x 44cm D x 72cm H

The cabinet has relief carving of fish, a symbol of prosperity. The side panels depict plum blossoms, the petals represent the Five Blessings of happiness, good health, love of virtue, long life and a peaceful passing.

The earliest forms of the cabinet were boxes that in turn developed to the larger chest. The basic form of the chest appears to have continued until the advent of the chair and a more sophisticated mode of living, perhaps around the Song dynasty (960A.D. – 1279A.D.). The addition of doors to the chest and then feet reflected a different way of storing articles. From these humble beginnings, cabinets evolved to become works of art as well as being functional items representing lifestyles, beliefs and tastes of the time. By the Ming dynasty (1368A.D. – 1644A.D.) cabinets appeared in different forms and a variety of sizes and designs. Some had specific uses but in general the cabinet performed a flexible role.

One feature of Chinese cabinets is that many of them have doors that could be easily removed. This feature allowed the user to store large items and to then close the doors around it.

This cabinet has rich plum red lacquer. Lacquer was invented in China several thousand years ago and is extracted from certain species of trees. Producing lacquer was an expensive and time-consuming process that was applied to preserve the timber and enhance the aesthetic appeal of the furniture.