A zitan stand with rococo motifs, Qing dynasty (18th century) - Length 26.8 cm Width 26.5 cm Height 16 cm

The University Museum and Art Gallery, The University of Hong Kong is pleased to present an exhibition on the art of Chinese wooden stands. On display will be over 130 examples of Chinese stands dating from the Tang to the Qing dynasties from the Songde Tang collection. Most of the exhibits are exquisite wood carvings with a small number made of other materials such as bronze, bamboo, porcelain or ivory. The aim of this unique exhibition is to encourage greater interest in a branch of Chinese art that has remained largely unrecognised.

A blackwood vase stand with geese-shaped legs, Early 20th century - Width 7.2 cm Height 7 cm

Wood carving has an important place in Chinese material culture. Considered as a miniature piece of wooden furniture, the carving techniques of stands, particularly the mortise-and-tenon technique, derive from the making of antique Chinese furniture. In the Qing dynasty, stand-making reached a pinnacle of fine design and workmanship with emphasis on the natural beauty of the wood itself. Zitan, huali and blackwood are the most commonly used materials in Chinese stand-making. Stands can be constructed from several pieces of wood or carved from a single block. Qing stands are more imposing than earlier ones, with elaborate latticework and openwork carving. Other widely admired examples combine gold and silver thread or mother-of-pearl inlay on a lacquer ground. Many of the decorative designs feature traditional or auspicious Chinese patterns. Influenced by China's growing overseas trade, floral patterns of foreign origin were also adopted in stand designs.

A blackwood lotus-petal shaped bowl stand, Qing dynasty (late 19th century) - Width 12 cm Height 3.5 cm

Compared with other scholar's objects, stands have rarely been recognised as artworks in their own right. Because of their function, attention has focused on the beauty of the objects that they support rather than the significance of the stands. Each stand featured in this exhibition is unique, taking the features of the main work as their object. The stands not only function as supports, but are custom made to reflect the beauty of its object.

A free-form blackwood stand for gourd, Qing dynasty (late 18th century) - Length 11 cm Width 22 cm Height 9 cm

A fully-illustrated catalogue with a scholarly essay describing the ten categories of stands by Philip Mak will be published for the exhibition. (Photo courtesy of University Museum and Art Gallery, HKU)

Mar 01, 2008 To Jun 15, 2008. The Art of Chinese Wooden Stands: The Songde Tang Collection. The University of Hong Kong, University Museum and Art Gallery - 94 Bonham Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong