Austere Luminosity of Chinese Classical Furniture

Austere Luminosity of Chinese Classical Furniture PDF Author: Sarah Handler
Publisher: Univ of California Press
ISBN: 0520353331
Category : Art
Languages : en
Pages : 727

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Book Description
Chinese classical furniture is esteemed throughout the world for its beauty, functionalism, and influence on contemporary design aesthetics. Sarah Handler's stunningly illustrated volume traces Chinese hardwood furniture from its earliest origins in the Shang dynasty (c. 1500 to c. 1050 B.C.) to the present. She offers a fascinating and poetic view of Chinese furniture as functional sculpture, a fine art alongside the other Chinese arts of calligraphy, architecture, painting, and literature. Handler, a widely respected scholar of Chinese furniture, uses her knowledge of Chinese social, political, and economic history to provide a backdrop for understanding the many nuances of this art form. Drawing on literary and visual evidence from excavated materials, written texts, paintings, prints, and engravings, she discusses how people lived, their notions of hierarchy, and their perceptions of space. Her descriptions of historical developments, such as the shift from mats to chairs, evoke the psychological and sociological ramifications. The invention of a distinctive way to support and contain people and things within the household is one of China's singular contributions, says Handler. With more than three hundred exquisite illustrations, many in color, Handler's comprehensive study reveals "the magical totality of Chinese classical furniture, from its rich surfaces and shrewd proportions down to the austere soul of art that resides in the hardwood interiors." Austere Luminosity recognizes Chinese classical furniture as one of China's premier arts, unique in the furniture traditions of the world.

Austere Luminosity of Chinese Classical Furniture

Austere Luminosity of Chinese Classical Furniture PDF Author: Sarah Handler
Publisher: Univ of California Press
ISBN: 0520353331
Category : Art
Languages : en
Pages : 727

Get Book

Book Description
Chinese classical furniture is esteemed throughout the world for its beauty, functionalism, and influence on contemporary design aesthetics. Sarah Handler's stunningly illustrated volume traces Chinese hardwood furniture from its earliest origins in the Shang dynasty (c. 1500 to c. 1050 B.C.) to the present. She offers a fascinating and poetic view of Chinese furniture as functional sculpture, a fine art alongside the other Chinese arts of calligraphy, architecture, painting, and literature. Handler, a widely respected scholar of Chinese furniture, uses her knowledge of Chinese social, political, and economic history to provide a backdrop for understanding the many nuances of this art form. Drawing on literary and visual evidence from excavated materials, written texts, paintings, prints, and engravings, she discusses how people lived, their notions of hierarchy, and their perceptions of space. Her descriptions of historical developments, such as the shift from mats to chairs, evoke the psychological and sociological ramifications. The invention of a distinctive way to support and contain people and things within the household is one of China's singular contributions, says Handler. With more than three hundred exquisite illustrations, many in color, Handler's comprehensive study reveals "the magical totality of Chinese classical furniture, from its rich surfaces and shrewd proportions down to the austere soul of art that resides in the hardwood interiors." Austere Luminosity recognizes Chinese classical furniture as one of China's premier arts, unique in the furniture traditions of the world.

Classic Chinese Furniture

Classic Chinese Furniture PDF Author: Shixiang Wang
Publisher: Joint Publishing, Company, Limited (Hong Kong)
ISBN:
Category : Furniture
Languages : en
Pages : 336

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Book Description


Chinese Classical Furniture

Chinese Classical Furniture PDF Author: Grace Wu Bruce
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
ISBN:
Category : Antiques & Collectibles
Languages : en
Pages : 104

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Book Description
The Ming dynasty was China's golden age, producing much of the nation's finest ceramics, textiles, literature, and paintings. In recent years collectors have also recognized the Ming's achievements in furniture design, particularly intricately shaped, ingeniously engineered hardwood pieceswhich display an elegant sophistication in material and craft. Chinese Classical Furniture provides a richly illustrated introduction to this world of the Ming furniture. After summarizing the history of Chinese furnishings, the author explores the materials used and techniques employed in the construction of Ming chairs, stools, tables, cabinets, stands, andbeds. A full catalogue of the existing styles of each type is provided, together with woodblock illustrations from Ming novels to establish how the furniture was arranged in houses of the time.

Classical Chinese Furniture in the Minneapolis Institute of Arts

Classical Chinese Furniture in the Minneapolis Institute of Arts PDF Author: Robert D. Jacobsen
Publisher: Art Media Resources
ISBN:
Category : Antiques & Collectibles
Languages : en
Pages : 258

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Book Description
"Produced in conjunction with the symposium Classical Chinese furniture and the built environment, The Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Minneapolis, Minnesota June 10-12, 1999"--T.p. verso.

Chinese Furniture

Chinese Furniture PDF Author: Karen Mazurkewich
Publisher: Tuttle Publishing
ISBN: 1462906923
Category : Antiques & Collectibles
Languages : en
Pages : 236

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Book Description
The international market for antique Chinese furniture is booming, and masterpieces from the Ming and Qing dynasties are now worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. Chinese Furniture is a survey of these collectibles--from the very best hardwood pieces featured to standard softwood specimens still available on the Asian market. This antique furniture book presents an overview of carving styles, wood types, regional variations, class distinctions and restoration techniques. It includes detailed chapters on various types of wooden furniture cover chairs, stools and benches, tables and desks, beds, cabinets and bookshelves, doors and screens and household accessories. With this renewed interest in antique furniture, a forgery market has emerged. Thousands of factories in southern China are churning out brand new or refurbished furniture and passing them off as Chinese antiques. Chinese Furniture unearths these forgeries and serves as an indispensable reference guide for collectors of antique wood furniture.

中國古典家具舆生活環境

中國古典家具舆生活環境 PDF Author:
Publisher: Art Media Resources
ISBN:
Category : Furniture
Languages : en
Pages : 196

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Book Description
This ground-breaking book, in English and Chinese, features classical Chinese furniture in hardwoods alongside regional vernacular furniture in softwoods. Examples in both categories are drawn from the Kai-Yin Lo Collection as well as other sources. It is also the first time that furniture is placed in the context of the household, architecture and the living environment. Essays by leading scholars offers an in-depth examination and open new avenues of enquiry and scholarship creating new understanding.

Chinese Furniture

Chinese Furniture PDF Author: Craig Clunas
Publisher: Victoria & Albert Museum
ISBN:
Category : Art
Languages : en
Pages : 128

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Book Description
This study of Chinese furniture, based on the V&A s important collection, ranges from lacquered furniture attributed to the workshops of the Imperial Court to hardwood furniture of the Ming Dynasty, covering the period from the 15th to the early 20th centuries. Timber, techniques and workshop methods are discussed as well as the arrangement of furniture in Chinese interiors.

Chinese Provincial Furniture

Chinese Provincial Furniture PDF Author: Kimberly R. Hessler
Publisher: Schiffer Book for Collectors
ISBN:
Category : Antiques & Collectibles
Languages : en
Pages : 250

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Book Description
Focusing on provincial furniture of the early 1800s to early 1900s (late Qing Dynasty), this stunning book provides a detailed look at assorted chairs, benches, tables, storage pieces, beds, and screens originally created and used in eight Chinese provinces. Over 550 colour photographs and accompanying text detail the construction and artistic differences characterising these styles. Highly informative to collectors, dealers, and students of Asian furnishings, the book covers types of wood used, construction techniques, lacquer and other finishing processes, and original usage. Restoration and tips for care of antique furniture are also discussed. Descriptive captions include dimensions, circa dates, types of wood, and current market values for all pieces shown. Learning to authenticate classical antiques from China is becoming a necessity as facsimiles begin to appear in the marketplace. This book helps demystify the purchasing process and engenders an appreciation of lovely designs that blend wonderfully into contemporary homes.

Chinese Furniture

Chinese Furniture PDF Author: Xiaoming Zhang
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 0521186463
Category : Art
Languages : en
Pages : 143

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Book Description
This book provides an accessible, illustrated introduction to the long history, production techniques and cultural significance of Chinese furniture.

Classical Chinese Huanghuali Furniture from the Haven Collection

Classical Chinese Huanghuali Furniture from the Haven Collection PDF Author: Chu-Pak Lau
Publisher: Hku Museum and Art Gallery
ISBN: 9789881902382
Category : Furniture
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
The University Museum and Art Gallery at the University of Hong Kong presents Classical Chinese Huanghuali Furniture from the Haven Collection and publishes this informative edition in conjunction with the exhibition. Chinese huanghuali furniture is world-famous and, for the longest time, has been collected in both East and West. The fine selection displayed here shows both domestic furniture and scholars' items, such as brush pots and chests. In Ming dynasty China, traditional wood architecture and Buddhist thrones inspired Chinese furniture makers and, as trade expanded, so did the amount of hardwood furniture in the form of sophisticated movable pieces and built-in interiors. Ming furniture is known for its elegant lines and carved details. During the reign of Emperor Longqing (1567-1572) China opened its borders, previously implemented import bans were lifted and a greater variety of building materials became available. Consequently, during the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911) the most celebrated types of domestic furniture were made from huanghuali and zitan woods. The elegant dark hardwood with natural shine is remarkable for the fact that Chinese furniture is typically made from solid timber, not an invisible subconstruction covered by a decorative veneer, as is so often the case in the West. The strength of each individual element of a piece of furniture and the consistent color matter, as every detail is exposed and the precision of the joints and the size and position of the dowels are all visual elements of an often simple and graceful design. In some pieces the joints are detectible and accessible, sometimes demountable, or else expertly hidden in the more sophisticated pieces. Applied surface finishes were generally only a layer of wax; no stains or clear lacquer seals were added to the dense and inherently decorative woods.