This antique sideboard in solid pine shows a singular decorative layout: black lacquered body, red-framed panels and hand-painted motifs of a lotus vase, stacked books and Chinese auspicious calligraphy. Shanxi, China, circa 1920.
Painted northern Chinese furniture reached notable refinement during the Qing-Republican transition. In Shanxi, vegetal motifs — lotus flower, chrysanthemum — were combined with elements of the literati repertoire — books, brushes, auspicious calligraphy — to compose panels with symbolic intent: longevity, purity, culture. The lotus refers to the Buddhist idea of purity born from mud, traditionally associated with a wish for prosperous descent.
The structure is solid pine with a four-door front, ring pull in wrought iron and a straight lower apron. The black-lacquered top retains traces of painted decoration that have now faded. The front panel paintings were executed on previously prepared light ground, with mineral pigments over fine lacquer.
The state of preservation of the paintings is notable: the central floral composition keeps legibility and nuance — the cobalt blue of the vase, the olive green of the leaves, the Chinese calligraphy in black. Rubbed areas show the honest wear we would expect in a piece with a century of domestic use.
It works as a centrepiece in a sitting room, large dining room or entryway. The iconographic load and the red-black chromatic contrast turn it into a strong-presence piece, especially effective as counterpoint to neutral palettes.
Details
- Materials and techniques: Solid pine; black and red lacquer; mineral pigment paintings; wrought iron hardware; mortise and tenon joinery
- Place of origin: Shanxi, China
- Period: Late Qing tradition
- Date of manufacture: Circa 1920
- Dimensions: Length 135 cm × Width 40 cm × Height 86 cm
- Condition: Good. Wear consistent with age and use. Original patina and painting.
ONE OF A KIND PIECE
At Amaru Antiques (Barcelona) we select each antique for its history, its craftsmanship and the quiet presence it brings to a contemporary home.
