An Extremely Rare 'Zitan' Reclining Armchair. Qing Dynasty, 18th / 19th century

the deep seat of rectangular section, the horizontal crest and arms of composite circular section above ring-form spacer brackets and a gallery of vertical spindles, floating panel seat, the stiles continuing through the seat with rounded edges to the legs, open apron with similar spacer brackets, box stretcher with humpback stretchers along the sides; from under the seat slides a similarly constructed seat extension, the wood of a rich dark brown-black tone with hints of red-brown - unextended: 40 by 26 1/4 by 38 3/4 in., 101.6 by 66.7 by 98.5 cm - 80,000—100,000 USD

PROVENANCE : Acquired from the private quarters of the Qianlong emperor by an American Collector in 1911 (by repute).
Sotheby's New York, 2nd December 1992, lot 607.
Thereafter with the present owner.

NOTE : The present piece is an extremely rare form, with no other examples which appear to have been published. The elegant simplicity of line, together with the sober luxury of the finest quality zitan come together within a piece that speaks not only of the scholar's studio, but also of Imperial patronage. The restrained elegance of such a chair might have appealed to the Yongzheng, Qianlong and Jiaqing emperors, who desired to find temporary release in the guise of Confucian scholars as depicted in paintings of the emperors illustrated in China, the Three Emperors, 1662-1795, Italy, 2005, fig. 25, p. 53, no. 167, pp. 248-249, and La Cité Interdite, Vie Publique et Privée des Empereurs de Chine, 1644-1911, Bourges, 1996, fig. 44, p. 57.

Chairs with such deep seats are very rare. For an example of a lounging chair of huanghuali and huang yang-mu, attributed to the early Kangxi period, see Robert Hatfield Ellsworth et al, Chinese Furniture, One Hundred Examples from the Mimi and Raymond Hung Collection, New York, 1996, no. 27, pp. 94-95, which relates to the present example in the linearity of the low back and arm-rail, in addition to the depth of the seat. For a late Ming reclining chair with folding seat extension and integral sliding footrest, see ibid., no. 25, pp. 90-91. For an example with reclined back and sliding seat extension, similar to the present example, but later in date, see Robert Hatfield Ellsworth, Chinese Furniture, Hardwood Examples of the Ming and Early Ch'ing Dynasties, New York, 1970, no. 30, p. 139.

The use of vertical spindles, ring spacers, rounded corners and doubled structural members are all inspired by construction techniques of bamboo furniture, serving to further the allusions to simplicity and the scholarly ideal, but also evoking the Confucian ideal of the man, like bamboo, who will bend in the face of wind, but will not break. A more direct example of this allusion to bamboo construction may be seen in the huanghuali faux-bamboo armchair, attributed to the late 17th/ early 18th century, illustrated in Sarah Handler, Austere Luminosity of Chinese Classical Furniture, Hong Kong, 2001, fig. 6.5, p. 76. For a zitan couch, attributed to the Kangxi period, with horizontal rails, vertical spindles and ring spacers similar to the present example, see Robert Hatfield Ellsworth, Chinese Furniture, One Hundred and Three Examples from the Mimi and Raymond Hung Collection, Hong Kong, 2005, no. 46, pp. 102-103. For an example of a closely related chair to the present piece, in huanghuali, see Gustuv Ecke, Chinese Domestic Furniture, Hong Kong, 1979, no. 88, p. 110. Compare also a closely related pair of armchairs and a settee, both of hongmu, sold in these rooms, 11th April 1986, lots 427 and 472.

Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art including Chinese and Japanese Art from The Collection of Frieda and Milton Rosenthal. 16 Sep 08. www.sotheby's.com