Date: Ming (AD 1368-1644)
Dimensions: Length 192.8 cm, Width 102.5 cm, Height 83 cm
Material: Zitan wood
Donated by Chuang family

• Object Type：
  • OTHERS
• Location：
  • Chinese Ming and Qing Furniture Gallery
• Tag：
  • table ming zitan wood

The painting-table made of the rosewood is broad and large, with liberal use of raw material. Rosewood is extremely rare and the rosewood furniture of the Ming dynasty was even less than Huanghuali furniture. And if the size of the furniture is large enough, then it is even more precious. This Zitan painting table with inserted shoulder joint is one example; therefore, it has been praised as ‘the No.1 Zitan painting-table’ since the late Qing. Its best features are a reasonable design of the support between legs and feet, sloping shoulders, apron-head spandrels and apron. The table features concise structure, with plump embossed lines on the spandrels and the rims of the legs and feet, and slight decorations on the end of the foot. The top of the spandrels is more capable of load bearing and serves as joints and enforcements, making the structure of the whole piece of furniture stable. On an apron of the painting table, there is an inscription of 96 words in total, of Pu Dong(1871-1952), the royal family of the Guangxu reign period of the Qing dynasty, indicating the ancient date of this table. It is the family heirloom of Song Muzhong's family. Song Muzhong, also known as Song Luo, served as the Minister of Personnel, excelled in poetry and painting. This painting table was a beloved work of Song Luo for his own use.