Although the term “vernacular” refers to furniture made from 1850-1920 (late Qing – Chinese Republic) for Chinese society outside the imperial court, it more broadly encompasses a broad range of furnishings, decorative and religious items. The expanded trade and interactions with the West by Qing emperors brought stability, prosperity, and consumerism that transformed Chinese tastes in the arts and design. A newly emerged prosperous merchant class became a counter force to the rigid Ming imperial class of elite scholars and literati. Outside the imperial court, vernacular regional creativity flourished for conservative tastes of the rustic, simple less sophisticated tastes of peasant in rural villages as well as the flamboyant, ostentatious and colorful tastes for wealthy merchants in urban areas. Most pieces were made in Fujian known for its unique style of highly decorative vernacular furniture made from a hardwood with less expensive pieces of elm or pine. These furniture and accessories were often colored and painted with scenery and designs decorated with gold leaf and ornate and pierced carvings to show wealth. Many were covered with auspicious symbols easily recognized by illiterate populations and with red, the color for prosperity and fu (happiness). Large and small cabinets were constructed with mortise and tenon joinery, often in a red lacquer frame inset with black and gilt painting of scenery, florals and birds and doors framed with gilt borders. Among the most elaborate vernacular pieces were cabinets, dressing boxes, ladies’ vanities and jewelry boxes many with drawers to store valuables and other decorative and practical accessories.
Sources
Nancy Berliner and Sarah Handler, Friends of the House: Furniture from Chinese Towns and Villages, Peabody Essex Museum Collection, Salam, MA 1995
Karen Mazurkewich, Chinese Furniture, A Guide to Collecting Antiques, Tuttle Publishing, North Clarendon, VT, 2006
Andrea & Lynde McCormick, Chinese Country Antiques, Vernacular Furniture and Accessories, c. 1780-1920, Schiffer Publications, Atglen, PA, 2000.
Margie L. Yates, Antique Chinese Accessories, Vernacular Items, c. 1850-1930, Schiffer Publications, Atglen, PA, 2000.
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This lacquered confection-mold was likely made in Fujian province where small vernacular furniture, decorative accessories and functional utilitarian items were made for the new wealthy merchant class of nouveau riche dissociating themselves from the imperial court about 1850-1920. Qing furniture and accessories were more flamboyant than Ming ones and often decorated with gold leaf, ornate pierced…
The well-crafted lacquer covered jewelry box is a fine Chinese vernacular furniture and accessories example from the late Qing Dynasty in the th – 19th century for China’s emerging merchant class who rejected strict formal Ming design. This newly emerged style was made from softer woods such as elm, often brightly colored in red lacquer…
Peranakan refers to mixed-blood Chinese living in former British settlements in Penang, Malacca, Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia whose forefathers were early Chinese traders, sailors and laborers. Many Chinese traders, laborers, and merchants remained in Southeast Asia during monsoon season before returning married local women living a two-family life. This wealthy population favored Chinese vernacular lacquer…
This small elm cabinet is from Fujian province known for its unique style of highly decorative vernacular furniture. Large and small items were constructed with mortise-and-tenon joinery that made pieces stable, lengthened their life, and allowed woods to adapt to Asia’s variability in humidity and temperature. Pleasing a new wealthy merchant class, vernacular furniture was…
This elaborate 19th century elmwood vanity cabinet is an example of Chinese vernacular furniture catering to the newly prosperous Chinese merchant class whose colorful tastes countered those of conservative scholars and the literati imperial class. Covered with red lacquer, the color of blessings (fu), it has deeply carved and painted decorations highlighted with gold with…
This charming antique low elmwood cabinet has two wide intricately carved storage drawers. for storage and was probably made from elmwood. Late Qing Dynasty artisans devoted as much effort creating small treasures like this as they invested in larger pieces. Handcrafted with mortise and tenon joints, these items were made without nails or glue making them more…
This confection-mold was likely made in Fujian province famous for small vernacular furniture and decorative accessories made for the new wealthy merchant class of Chinese with no imperial court connections. These flamboyant pieces of Qing furniture and accessories were made to display wealth, often painted red, the color associated with fu, and highlighted with gold…
This small antique elmwood cabinet from Fujian, a city known for ornate furniture for a newly emerging nouveau riche merchant class towards the end of the Qing dynasty. A center for mostly vernacular furniture and accessories from 1850-1930, their production was destined for ordinary people unconnected to the imperial court. Their mini cabinets were constructed…
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