CABINET EN ZITAN ET NANMU

The ‘ice-crackled’ design of the of the openwork decorating the sides of the upper section of the cabinet was inspired by lattice panels decorating the greatly admired gardens of Southern China as illustrated in one of the earliest publications of Chinese garden-scape designs known as the Yuanye. Dated to 1631, the Yuanye was published by the famous garden architect Ji Cheng (1582-1642) who was active from Wanli to Chongzhen periods in Southern China. This published masterpiece of garden design literature combined architectural principles and decorative features through its detailed descriptions and illustrations. The manuscript greatly influenced the designs of furniture in Southern China.
The openwork design on the panels of the cabinet is known as binglieshi, ‘ice-crackled’ decoration in the Yuanye, where it is described as ‘the best design for a window panel for the simple yet most elegant lines. The arrangement of this pattern is as versatile as a painting’. This clever design can maximise a dramatic visual effect from the minimum use of expensive zitan wood. When light is shone on the openwork panels, the projecting shadows produce an intricate network of reflected light.
See a magnificent huanghuali square-corner display cabinet, dated late Ming dynasty, formerly in the collection of Philippe de Backer, sold in Christie's Hong Kong, 29 May 2019, lot 3124.