Pair of chairs (quanyi); China, 18th century.

Pair of chairs (quanyi); China, 18th century.
Black lacquer and woven fibers.
They have some lacquer splits.
Measurements: 97 x 60 cm x 46 cm (x2).
Pair of chairs (quanyi) with horseshoe-shaped back in yumu. The chairs first appeared in China in the form of portable chairs used by commanders on the battlefield. Their use spread rapidly in domestic life, used by all classes and sectors of society. By the early Ming dynasty, various styles had been developed and little changed for several hundred years. In a society as hierarchical as China, different styles of chair were associated with different ranks of society.
No early references to hongmu have yet been discovered; however, the South Chinese equivalent term 'suanzhi' appears during the middle Qing period; its literal meaning, 'sour wood' describes the pungent odor emitted when worked.