Chinese Furniture (Far Eastern Series.)

This volume covers the Victoria and Albert Museum's collection of Chinese furniture, one of the largest and most important outside China. It includes unique masterpieces of lacquered furniture attributable to the workshops of the Imperial Court. It also contains a representative group of hardwood furniture of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), which has had such a strong influence on contemporary design. The periods covered range from the 15th to the early-20th centuries. Chapters on particular classes of furniture alternate with sections focusing on more general topics, such as materials and workshop methods, including discussion of timbers and the types of joints involved in the manufacture of different pieces. Above all, the text attempts to stress how Chinese furniture was used and how it was arranged in interiors at different periods. This is a detailed investigative study which combines material, written and pictorial evidence to present a balanced view of the furniture and the society that produced it. The book should be a useful reference both for art historians and for collectors.