A pair of carved zitan 'dragon' cabinets, Kanggui 紫檀雕雲龍紋炕櫃一對

Vigorously carved with ferocious scaly dragons among tumultuous waves, compact cabinets of this type are constructed of two matched cabinets stacked on top of each other and each with a pair of doors. This pair is known as kangui, as they were suitable for use at mat level or on the kang, a hollow brick platform where hot air is driven through to create a warm living space. Cabinets of this type, made of the precious fine-grained zitan wood, were used at court and by wealthy Chinese families to store clothing articles.

A pair of cabinets of similar size and design, from the collection of Robert H. Ellsworth, was sold in our New York rooms, 3rd May 1977, lot 24. See also a larger compound cabinet carved with dragons, from the Qing Court collection and still in Beijing, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures in the Palace Museum. Furniture of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (II), Hong Kong, 2002, pl. 211, together with a carved lacquer example, pl. 210.