Red lacquered Chinese armoires are some of the
most beautiful pieces of furniture in the world. They are so
beautiful, that their popularity has spread far outside the
borders of China and throughout the entire world.
These pieces of furniture have been several hundreds of years
in the making. The early history of different kinds of Chinese
furniture recorded in excavated material, engraved stone and
stamped brick reveals something of a mat-level furniture culture.
The ancient Chinese actually either knelt or sat cross-legged
upon woven mats that were surrounded by various furnishings.
These items included things such as low tables, screens, and
armrests.
The first examples of excavated lacquer furniture from places
like the ancient kingdom of Chu (500 BC) demonstrate an aesthetic
quality of minimalism and simplicity. Still others are decorated
with nice kinds of unique or colorful patterns that bear finely
carved decoration in relief and openwork.
The blending of artistic form with practical functionality
can be seen as a common thread running throughout the long history
of Chinese furniture. This is still seen today with the more
modern versions of the red lacquered Chinese armoires.
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