Chinese Petite Fujian Lacquer Cabinet, C. 1900

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The bold lacquer, paneled front and gilt carvings of this small bedside cabinet exemplify the early 20th-century furniture from Fujian, … Read more The bold lacquer, paneled front and gilt carvings of this small bedside cabinet exemplify the early 20th-century furniture from Fujian, China. Petite in scale, the cabinet may have been used atop a kang platform or as part of a suite of furnishings in a woman's private quarters.

In the Fujian fashion, the double doors are inset with cartouche panels of gilt carvings against black lacquer. The upper panels depict bamboo leaves and orchid flowers, while the lower depict bird-and-flower vignettes of pheasants, reeds and hibiscus, a motif for wealth and glory. The doors open by brass pulls in the shape of flower baskets to reveal a simple interior with a single shelf. See less