A 'HUANGHUALI' RECESSED-LEG PAINTING TABLE, PINGTOUAN LATE MING DYNASTY

the top of standard mitre, mortise and tenon construction, the splayed round legs double tennoned into the top and cut to house the shaped spandrelled apron moulded with a beaded edge, each pair of legs conjoined on the shorter sides with two oval-sectioned stretchers

Grace Wu Bruce, Hong Kong, 1993.

It has some typical age cracks, some professionally restored, including a strip to the top, the tip of one leg and the side of another. There is also bruising and general surface scratches.
"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 simple yet elegant form of this table is one of the most recognisable designs of classical Chinese furniture and one that best epitomises Chinese scholars' fondness for unassuming and functional furniture. While tables of this design were made for all classes of society, the substantial elements, choice of highly figurative huanghuali, and finely finished surfaces of this piece indicate that it would have belonged to a wealthy scholar or a court official. Left undecorated except for the beaded apron, it is this form that first captured the attention of 20th century furniture historians, and is now considered quintessentially Ming.

Recessed-leg tables of this minimalist form are highly versatile. Illustrations from Ming sources reveal their multiple uses, from altars to painting tables and side tables, with their light and simple form allowing them to be easily moved from one location to another as required. Their basic proportions were adapted to their intended purpose, thus they were constructed in various sizes. The proportion of this table, with its
considerable depth, makes it suitable to be used for a variety of scholar activities such as painting and calligraphy.

Historically referred to as 'character one table' (yi zi zhuo shi), as the single horizontal stroke of the Chinese character for the numeral 'one' bears resemblance to its linearity, the origins of recessed-leg tables can be traced back to architectural forms as evidenced in their bare structural lines. This particular design with side stretchers is known from as early as the Song dynasty (960-1279), when tables with bridle and tenon joints, a continuous apron with small spandrels, and double stretchers at the sides were produced. Two tables of this form are depicted on the painting Cun tong nao xue tu [Country boys playing class], attributed to the Song period and illustrated in Wang Shixiang, 'Development of Furniture Design and Construction from the Song to the Ming', Chinese Furniture. Selected Articles from Orientations 1984-1999, Hong Kong, 1999, p. 55, pl. 35.

Two huanghuali tables of similar proportions were sold in our New York rooms, the first, 10th/11th April 1986, lot 468, and the second, 19th March 2007, lot 351; a slightly larger one is illustrated in George N. Kates, Chinese Household Furniture, New York, 1948, pl. 30, from the collection of Gustav Ecke; and another of shorter shape, from the collection of Dr S.Y. Yip, included in the exhibition Dreams of Chu Tan Chamber and the Romance with Huanghuali Wood, Art Museum, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 1991, cat. no. 22, was sold in these rooms, 7th October 2015, lot 130.