A Rare Pair of Stoola

Materials and Date

Zitan, 18th century

H

52cm (20½in)

W

63cm (24¾in)

D

63cm (24¾in)

Full Description

Pairs of zitan stools are rare, especially in such a large size. The dimensions of these stools have led them to be named “meditation stools” because of the ability to sit on them crossed-legged, although, as with most stools, they probably had many functions.

The design is based on the age-old Chinese tradition of bamboo furniture. The wrap-around stretchers which would have originally been made from a single length of bamboo, steamed and bent around the legs, are actually four separate humpbacked members that tenon into the inside of the legs, meeting at the corners on the surface. The clever “double-moulded” edge of the seat frame helps to reduce he visual mass of those members adding greatly to the elegance. All of the other members, in keeping with a stylized rendition of bamboo, appear particularly soft and fluid thanks to their rounded surfaces and the rich luster of the zitan timber.

It is always interesting to note the use of an extremely rare and expensive material such as zitan being used to mimic bamboo, one of the cheapest and most plentiful materials in China. This is testament to the great reverence and regard paid to bamboo in Chinese culture.

Provenance :

Private Collection, USA

Exhibited :

MD Flacks Ltd “Classical Chinese Furniture 2 “, Autumn 1997