Chinese Painted Folk Trunk, C. 1900

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Trunks and storage chests were the most ubiquitous form of household storage throughout the Ming and Qing dynasties. Used to … Read more Trunks and storage chests were the most ubiquitous form of household storage throughout the Ming and Qing dynasties. Used to store clothes, linens, kitchen utensils, and other miscellaneous items, trunks were found in every room in the home and were often stacked on top of one another.

This festive trunk dates to the early 20th century and has been embellished with black lacquer and hand-painted decoration in a traditional folk style. The front is painted with a scene of a man and woman crossing a river valley in a row boat, drawn in a modern style reminiscent of Communist propaganda posters. Likely repainted in the 1960s or 70s, the provincial chest is a curious example of mid-century attempts to integrate Communist imagery into traditional furniture. The interior of the trunk has been recently repainted to a bright turquoise. See less