Chinese console, early 20th century.

Chinese console, early twentieth century.
Carved Hongmu wood.
Measurements: 130 x 228 x 50 cm.
It shows marks of use.
Traditionally, the Chinese most often sat on straw mats on the floor. After the period of the Warring Kingdoms (475-221 B.C.) the use of beds and sofas as seats began to be generalized. Already in the period of the Three Kingdoms and Six Dynasties (220-589 A.D.) Western-style chairs, scissor chairs and other types of seating began to appear in China. Since then, the style of furniture has evolved with the times, standing out in the Ming period (1368-1644) for its simple, uniform line, without breaks, and for its sober and elegant decoration. During the Qing dynasty, due to the influence of the flourishing foreign trade and the advance of craftsmanship techniques, rich and complex decoration including carvings was introduced. Because of the great development of Chinese furniture with the Ming and Qing dynasties, most of today's Chinese furniture design remains along these lines. As in traditional Chinese architecture, wood is the most important material in Chinese furniture making. There are two reasons for this: on the one hand, because of the needs of the Chinese way of life, and on the other hand, because of the country's rich forestry. Within Chinese cabinetmaking there are two main types of furniture: lacquered and hardwood.