Classical Chinese Furniture

Unlike other Asian cultures of the 17th and 18th centuries, the Chinese did not sit on the floor. The simple fact that the Manchu invaders imported highly flexible furniture from their yurts influenced the development of Chinese design and decorative arts. Within a few years of the Manchu invasion, Chinese craftsmen combined their highly refined design aesthetic with extraordinary exotic woods, veneers, and lacquer to create some of the finest furniture ever made. "Classical Chinese Furniture" illuminates this fascinating and little-known area of Chinese decorative art. These beautiful stools, desks, chairs, bureaus, and storage pieces are highly sought after and have become the fastest growing area of collecting within China itself. Over the past four years the prices for Chinese furniture have increased exponentially as impassioned Chinese collectors rediscover the glory of their artistic patrimony. This distinguished book is a multifaceted experience, with appeal to collectors and experts, Western and Chinese, as well as anyone interested in furniture, aesthetics, design, Asian culture, architecture, and interiors, or simply fascinated by the outstanding beauty of the pieces themselves.