A MAGNIFICENT AND RARE ZITAN TABLE QING DYNASTY, QIANLONG PERIOD

masterfully carved of demi-lune form with a lobed outline on the rounded side and a straight back edge, the dusty-pink marble top enclosed within a hongmu frame with beaded moulding, above an ornately carved cloud-shaped apron centered on a pierced ruyi-head enclosing a lotus flower, surrounded by peonies and acanthus leaves on a scroll, the four cabriole legs boldly carved on the two front legs with the heads of cherubic boys on the corners and dragon heads on the back of the two legs, all terminating in acanthus leaf-wrapped balls, above an elaborate stretcher centered with a bat clutching a beribboned ring in its mouth, all supported on a raised platform of conforming shape, (3)

An Old Austrian Collection.

Apart from old stains to the table top and platform, a few minor nicks to the edges and some light scratches to the marble top, the overall condition is very good.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The Zitan 'Crescent Moon' Table: Fusion of East and West
Hajni Elias

The exceptional skills of Chinese furniture makers and wood carvers working in the Muzuo (Wood Workshop) of the Zaobanchu (Imperial Palace Workshops) in the Forbidden City is displayed in this magnificent and exceptionally rare Qianlong period zitan table. Furniture of such elaborate decoration represents a special style that embodies imperial supremacy and grandeur. Although large quantities of interior furnishings were made for the many halls and palaces, the present piece is distinctive for its form, carved decoration and use of the highly prized and rare zitan wood. No other similar example appears to be recorded although tables of this type can be found, in the Qing Court collection and still in Beijing, although of less elaborate carved decoration and made in other varieties of wood. For example, see a 'crescent moon' table made of red sandalwood decorated with carvings of dahlias illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Furniture of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (II), Hong Kong, 2002, pl. 130; and a matching pair of 'crescent moon' form red-lacquered tables decorated with bats and peaches in coloured lacquer and gold inlays included ibid., pl. 129, attributed to the Yongzheng and Qianlong periods.

Qing period tables of this form were inspired by earlier, Ming dynasty, examples such as the table illustrated in Wang Shixiang, Connoisseurship of Chinese Furniture, vol. 1, Hong Kong, 1990, pl. B127, together with line drawings of two further comparable pieces, B125 and B126. Compare also a huanghuali table sold in our New York rooms, 26^th November 1991, lot 476. Tables of this distinct form are called yueyazhuo (crescent moon table) and are described in Lu Ban's Jing Jiang Jia Jing (A Mirror for Craftsmen). The furniture workshop, named after the legendary master furniture maker Lu Ban, located in Beijing, was a centre for the construction and repair of hardwood furniture. This workshop supplied many of the master furniture makers and artisans working in the Muzuo in the Palace. Lu's Jing Jiang Jia Jing served as a craftsman's handbook for furniture making from the Ming dynasty onwards. Lu explains that the yueyazhuo is made from two D-shaped tables each of which has four legs. The rear legs are sawn in half so that when fit together the width of the leg would equal that of the other legs. The additional base stretcher makes these tables much stronger than regular tables. They were usually placed in the centre of a room, or separated and used singly against a wall or screen. Practicality of such tables is also noted describing how the piece can be dismantled or moved. In style, Ming zitan furnishings display little elaboration with the wood made smooth and rounded in order to display its natural beauty and texture. Carpenters made use of the fine and dense grain of the wood and used it to enhance the minimalist decoration that was usually executed in relief. Elaborate and deeply carved decoration was introduced in the Qing dynasty, when emphasis was placed on producing pieces for show and reflected the opulent and luxurious taste of the emperor.

The inscription found beneath the marble top provides an insight to the history of this splendid piece. It records the table's inventory number as tianzi or 'tian character' referring to the first character in the Qian zi wen (Thousand Character Classic), an indication that the piece is the 'first' or 'highest' in the inventory. The inscription also includes Renli and Shunli which appear to be hall names and indicates that the table was removed from one to the other.

The refined and deeply carved decoration of this table is a fine example of the early Qing period innovation of the blending of Western and Chinese styles. The romantic curling Western acanthus leaves provide an opulent setting for the central Chinese lotus bloom. The elaborate stretcher, meticulously carved with a bat clutching a ring, is clearly influenced by Chinese decorative motifs yet the incorporation of cherubic boys on the corners of the table show a western influence. Elaborate carvings of entwined leaves, shells, roses and other blooms derived from Western motifs reflect the strong influence of the rococo style. Such blended designs were conceived by Western and Chinese artists working at the Palace Workshops in collaboration. Motifs such as acanthus leaves were particularly favoured in the decoration of the Qianlong emperor's magnificent European palaces located in the northern part of the Yuanmingyuan. As seen from this table, Chinese and Western aesthetics are ingeniously fused together, resulting in a highly original and striking masterpiece.

Chinese furniture with Western patterns, particularly those made for the Imperial household and court, was often made to resemble contemporary furniture of the European aristocracy. For example, the pier table designed by the famous English furniture designer Batty Langley in 1740 is a fine example of the influence of English designs on Chinese production. 

Although tables decorated in this manner are rare, the stylistic pattern using Western and Chinese plant motifs was employed on other furniture; for example see a red sandalwood chair decorated with the dahlia motif, from the Qing court collection and still in Beijing, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Furniture of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (II), Hong Kong, 2002, pl. 55. See also a finely carved zitan cabinet decorated with Western rococo floral motifs, from the Palace Museum published in Tian Jiaqing, 'Zitan and Zitan Furniture', Orientations, December, 1994, fig. 5; and a zitan throne sold in these rooms, 11^th April 2008, lot 2825.   

The extreme rarity of zitan wood is also of note. With its smooth and silk-like texture, fine and dense grain and strikingly deep lustre, zitan wood has long been the most prized wood for furniture makers in China. Its natural lustre, called baoxiangliang in Chinese, develops with use and is impossible to reproduce artificially. Its long growth period and limited availability in China made it especially valuable and by the Qing dynasty measures were taken for its protection. Tian in his work on zitan wood and furniture notes that according to the Yuanmingyuan zeli (Regulations Governing the Yuanmingyuan) zitan commanded a price more than twenty times that set for nanmu, itself a very precious timber. The use of zitan was also strictly regulated and it could not be worked on without the approval of the court. (ibid., p. 43.) Existing stores of zitan were kept in the Imperial Storehouse for the Palace Workshops and only a very limited amount was allowed outside the Palace. Imperial records from the Qianlong period show that the emperor gave special instructions to ensure the economical and careful use of zitan and his anger was noted on one occasion when his wishes had been misunderstood and zitan rather than a less expensive timber was used for a project. An inscription dated to 1749 mentions a cost of more than 300 taels of silver for a privately owned zitan cabinet. According to the archives of the Neiwufu (Imperial Household Department) the cost of a five-purlin tiled room for officials was 20 taels of silver at the time. (ibid., p. 45) It is evident that the majority of zitan furniture from the Qianlong period, including the present magnificent table, was made for imperial use and for the Qing imperial palaces.