{"id":281163,"date":"2026-05-28T23:05:42","date_gmt":"2026-05-28T21:05:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/amaruantiques.com\/?post_type=product&p=281163"},"modified":"2026-06-03T12:34:25","modified_gmt":"2026-06-03T10:34:25","slug":"antique-painted-trunk-in-pine-wood-china-circa-1900-am29016-11","status":"publish","type":"product","link":"https:\/\/amaruantiques.stg.uzero.cat\/en\/antique-furniture\/antique-painted-trunk-in-pine-wood-china-circa-1900-am29016-11\/","title":{"rendered":"Antique painted trunk in pine wood \u2013 China, circa 1900"},"content":{"rendered":"

This antique painted trunk in pine wood<\/strong> features a closed rectangular structure with hinged lid<\/em>, hand-forged iron hinges and latch<\/em> and polychrome painted decoration<\/em> with peonies, foliage and birds over a dark ground. It originates from northern China, from the late Qing dynasty, where pine was worked using mortise-and-tenon joinery and finished with polychrome paint over a natural lacquer ground.<\/p>\n

In traditional Chinese furniture, painted trunks were trousseau pieces \u2014 part of the bridal dowry \u2014 and stored textiles, festival clothes, documents and personal items inside. The painted decoration on the front, sides and lid was a statement of domestic prosperity and a vehicle for family auspicious symbolism.<\/p>\n

The body is built in solid pine. The structure is a closed rectangular volume with a hinged lid mounted on hand-forged iron hinges, with a central iron latch. The joinery is mortise-and-tenon over an internal frame and the sides finish in a small lower moulding. The interior keeps the bare pine, while the exterior is fully painted.<\/p>\n

The front is painted with an elaborate polychrome composition: orange and red peonies (mudan \u7261\u4e39)<\/em> in clusters, interlaced foliage and small birds, all framed by a border with meander and floral motifs in cobalt and gold over a dark ground. The peony is the queen of flowers and stands for wealth and honour; the birds add the motif of domestic harmony. The palette combines oranges, reds, greens, cobalt blue and gold.<\/p>\n

With its contained size \u2014 around 85-90 cm in length \u2014 this trunk works as a bedside table, an auxiliary table or a central decorative piece in an entrance. It suits wabi-sabi, contemporary rustic, japandi and Asian-inspired interiors, where it brings a historical and narrative accent.<\/p>\n

Details<\/strong><\/p>\n