Investment and Appraisal of Chinese Artworks Series - Ming and Qing Furniture

Author: Shi Shuqing, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-06-01
Features: China Water Conservancy and Electric Power Press is a central-level publishing organization with a rigorous work ethic, meticulous management, and over 40 years of history. It is among the first batch of national outstanding publishers. Initially, it primarily published science and technology publications on water conservancy and power. With the expansion of its business and strengthened capabilities, it has now successively published a variety of publications in fields such as civil engineering, architecture, computer science, and tourism, earning the approval and praise of readers. On this basis, we are committed to promoting the spirit of scientific exploration and upholding traditional culture, striving to achieve the integration of science and art, and the fusion of publishing and culture, in order to contribute our part to the inheritance of traditional Chinese art. To this end, we are honored to invite the renowned Art Investment and Appraisal Series, and we extend our heartfelt gratitude to Yachang Enterprise Limited for its strong support. Hereby, we also express our thanks.
Ming Dynasty furniture is generally referred to as "Ming-style furniture." Ming-style furniture primarily uses precious hardwoods such as zitan, huali, tilia, and acid wood, which are produced in India, Myanmar, and Southeast Asia. These woods have rich colors, beautiful grain patterns, and a hard, fine texture. The variety and style of Ming Dynasty furniture are rich and diverse, with the concept of complete sets of furniture already established, including matching furniture designed for specific architectural spaces such as halls, bedrooms, and studies. The main characteristics of Ming Dynasty furniture are its wooden structural design, forming distinctive shapes with simple, elegant, and unadorned aesthetics. It emphasizes the lines of the furniture, reflecting a bright and fresh artistic style. At the same time, Ming-style furniture fully showcases the beauty of the hardwoods' colors and grain patterns, avoiding excessive carving. To highlight the elegance of the lines, it only employs small-scale carvings in localized areas without compromising the overall effect. The structure is rational, the design is exquisite, fully reflecting the outstanding level of "Ming-style" furniture.
Qing Dynasty furniture and Ming Dynasty furniture exhibit entirely different styles in terms of artistic design. The main features of Qing-style furniture are first reflected in the use of thick materials, with furniture having broader dimensions compared to the Ming style. The second is its ornate decorations, employing techniques such as inlaying, carving, and painting, creating a majestic, stable, and luxurious impression, forming a sharp contrast to the simplicity, lightness, and elegance of Ming-style furniture. Qing Dynasty furniture primarily uses zitan and redwood, combined with various craftsmanship, forming a distinctive style known as "Qing-style furniture." The main production sites of Qing-style furniture are Beijing, Suzhou, and Guangzhou. Due to their unique local styles, they are also referred to as "Jing-style," "Su-style," and "Guang-style," respectively. Jing-style and Su-style furniture retain more of the traditional forms of Chinese classical furniture, while Guang-style furniture, influenced by Western culture, has developed a unique style.