top of page

Artifact Date:

Unknown

Artifact Era/Dynasty:

Unknown

Creator:

Unknown

Creator Ancestory:

Chinese

Department:

The Museum Proper

Replica or Original:

Replica

On Display, In Storage, or in a Private Offsite Collection:

On Display

Primary Material:

Wood

Medium:

Mahogany Wood Furniture

Dimensions:

Chair: 49.5" x 28" x 41"" Couch: 82.5" x 28" x 55.5" Coffee table: 64.5" x 19.5" x 28" Small Side table: 13" 12" x 16" Medium Side Table: 31" x 21" x 21"

Listen

00:00 / 01:04

    

A carved mahogany living room set.
一個紅木雕花的客廳家具套裝。

    

Classification/Category:

Furnishings

Specific Classification:

Furniture Set

Notable Signatures,

Inscriptions, and/or Markings:

Donated by:

Mr. Chi Ming Ko and Family

Accession Number

1993.009.001

Catalogue Entry

Commonly referred to as "red wood" by the Chinese, this unique set of furniture was crafted from mahogany. In the furniture trade, this wood is sometimes referred to as "rosewood". This mahogany is speculated to orginate from the Phillippines and was later carved by skilled artists in China. The tables and chairs are inlaid with marble from Yunnan Province in China. The natural black and white patterns in the marble resemble tradtional Chinese ink paintings. This set took a team of artists and carpenters over two years to complete.


Mahogany Living Room Set is a modern day replica of a set in the Imperial Palace - used by the former Emporers of China. Every piece of furniture is decorated with powerful carvings. The back panels are multi-layered clouds with writhing dragons that bespeak ferocity and vitality. There are unicorns that are supposed to bring good forture, deer that will bring prosperity, bats that will bring blessings and lions that declare authority. If you count carefully, you will find nine dragons on the back panel of the main couch. This meant that the couch belonged to the Emporer, because no one else was allowed to use nine dragons as a decoration. Violators sometimes received capital punishment! 


This set is not meant to be placed against the wall. It is best situated in the middle of a large hall, such as the Imperial Palace, hence the three-dimensional carving. The backside is as detailed as the front, therefore the artwork can be appreciated from all angles. 


這套獨特的家具通常被中國人稱為「紅木」,由桃花心木製成。在家具貿易中,這種木材有時被稱為「玫瑰木」。這種桃花心木據推測原產於菲律賓,後來由中國有經驗的藝術家雕刻而成。這套家具的桌椅皆鑲嵌著來自中國雲南省的大理石,而大理石中天然的黑白圖案則酷似中國傳統水墨畫。這套家具由藝術家和木匠組成的團隊花了兩年多的時間才完成。


紅木客廳套裝是中國前皇帝曾使用的皇宮家具套裝的現代複製品。每件家具都飾有精緻的雕刻。背板刻有多層次的雲彩,而上面則有扭動中的龍,象徵著兇猛和活力。此外,家具的雕飾亦包括會帶來好運的獨角獸,會帶來繁榮的鹿,會帶來祝福的蝙蝠,和象徵著權威的獅子。仔細數一數,主榻的背板上有九條龍。而這則意味著沙發是屬於皇帝的-因為只有皇帝才能使用九條龍作為裝飾。違規者有時更會受到死刑!


這套家具並不是靠牆放置的。因為套裝有立體的雕刻,所以最好設在如故宮的大殿中央。家具的背面和正面的裝飾一樣細緻,因此這套藝術品從各個角度欣賞都會有不同的感悟。

Online References:

Artifact Date:

Unknown

Unknown

Artifact Era/Dynasty:

Unknown

Creator:

Chinese

Creator Ancestry: