Ming Style Table, Late 18th C.

A superb square center / side table, Ming style, late 18th Century. Suzhou, China.

Hand-crafted in hardwood, stained in a warm light brown, with pillar style round legs, top and bottom stretchers and a bottom shelf with a geometric design. 29 x 29 x 27.5 inches.

The Suzhou region was the historical birthplace of classical Chinese furniture. Early Qing artisans in the region continued the previous Ming tradition of light and simple designs that highlighted the natural beauty of the wood, rather than covering it with intricate carvings and other complex design devices.

With its clean and well-defined lines, this table is a good example of that Ming-Qing style transition, presenting some later elements such as the bottom stretchers built into a geometric pattern shelf. It has some signs of wear and use, but no structural defects are present. The wood has a time-conferred patina that makes it very appealing.