A LARGE HUANGHUALI TIELIMU-INSET PAINTING TABLE, PINGTOUAN MING DYNASTY, 17TH CENTURY | 明十七世紀 黃花梨嵌鐵梨木夾頭榫平頭案

Christie's Hong Kong, 31st October 1994, lot 418.

香港佳士得1994年10月31日，編號418

This elegant and perfectly proportioned table is striking for its exquisitely carved design. From the curling leaves on the spandrels, the confronting phoenix between the legs and the beaded edges, this table testifies to the exceptional skill of Chinese woodcarvers and cabinet-makers in the 17th century.

The elaborately carved surfaces make this table particularly rare, as tables of this form are generally undecorated, such as lot 64 offered in this sale. While no closely related example appears to have been published, this piece shares similarities with a smaller painting table with phoenix spandrels and the stretchers carved as confronting chilong, from the collection of S.Y. Yip, sold in these rooms, 7th October 2015, lot 125. Examples of tables with elaborately carved spandrels, but plain stretchers are known: see one sold in our New York rooms, 17th/18th September 2013, lot 210; and two sold at Christie's New York, the first from the collection of Mr and Mrs Robert P. Piccus, 18th September 1997, lot 15, and the second from the Gangolf Geis collection, 18th September 2003, lot 39.

Tables of such prominent length and depth were used in the study as modern desks. They were designed to be both functional and aesthetically pleasing, and were considered the most significant piece of furniture in the scholar's studio. Their height was carefully calibrated to allow a scholar or artist to stand and freely move his brush, and they were generally devoid of drawers or stretchers on the long sides, which would have made them uncomfortable when seating on a chair. The wood from which they were fashioned was of great importance for scholars, who sought strength and beautiful grain patterns. The clever combination of the golden-hued huanghuali and darker tielimu for the table top of this piece creates an attractive contrast that would be particularly desirable.

Tables with legs not at the corners but recessed represent a classic and highly recognisable Ming dynasty design. They have historically been referred to as 'character one' tables, as the Chinese character for the word 'one' is written as a single horizontal stroke, giving a graphic image of their form. Inspired by classical Chinese wood buildings, this design was very popular from the Song dynasty (960-1279) onwards, often appearing on woodblock printed books and paintings. One of the most enduring and successful designs in classical Chinese furniture, the spare minimalist lines of these tables have a timeless elegance. 

此案結構雋朗，紋飾清秀，作卷葉紋牙頭、雙鳳紋棖子及冰盤沿線腳，皆證十七世紀中國木匠之鬼斧神工。

平頭案素來無飾，如同場編號64。案上雕紋者，殊為罕有，乃無類例見載，比一畫案，尺寸稍小，牙頭作鳳紋，腿足間安透雕雙鳳寬牙子，攻玉山房舊藏，售於香港蘇富比2015年10月7日，編號125。精雕牙頭而簡作棖子者，可比數例：一例，售於紐約蘇富比2013年9月17/18日，編號210；紐約佳士得亦售兩例，其一，畢格史伉儷舊藏，1997年9月18日，編號15，其二，Gangolf Geis 舊藏，2003年9月18日，編號39。

長寬比例分明，可供讀寫，既實用，又美觀，為文人雅士書齋必備。高矮恰到好處，案前墨客可揮筆自如，且不設抽屜，長邊無棖，以免坐椅之人使用不便。所用木料亦頗多講究，以木質堅韌、肌理秀美為上。黃花梨色澤金黃，鐵梨木色澤沈穩，桌面合二為一，相得益彰。

腿足縮進，不連桌角，乃明代經典式樣，因形似漢字「一」之孑然一筆，素稱「一字首式」。此式脫胎於傳統木造建築，自宋以來頻頻見諸刊本、繪畫，線條簡潔大方，堪稱中式家具不朽之範。