Pair of armchairs; China, c. 1900.

Pair of armchairs; China, c. 1900.
Jumu (elm) lacquered wood and stone.
Measurements: 101 x 64 x 48 cm (x2).
Pair of Chinese armchairs made around 1900, made of Jumu (elm) wood lacquered in red and decorated with stone panels inlaid in the backs. These pieces represent a magnificent example of the survival of classic Ming and Qing furniture at the dawn of the 20th century, where structural sobriety is combined with refined ornamental accents.
The armchairs have the characteristic curved back or quanyi structure whose semicircular design envelops the occupant in a gesture of harmonious formal continuity. The arms, with their sinuous lines and rolled ends, give the whole a sense of balance and fluidity. The backrest, slightly inclined, is composed of three vertical panels: the upper circular panel, the central panel and the lower rectangular panel, all framed by softly carved moldings.