Cleveland Museum of Art

Side Table with Everted Ends

Date

late 1500s–1600s

Medium

redwood veneer and camphor wood

Culture

China, Ming dynasty (1368–1644)

Department

Chinese Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

Classic Chinese furniture is an art of carpentry and joinery, which makes use of a mortise-and-tenon framework. Design and craftsmanship, coupled with the organic material of the hardwood, create endless aesthetic possibilities. This side table is beautifully carved with cloud-collar spandrels on the aprons as well as openwork panels with cloud-collar patterns inset between the legs and the feet. The table has a narrow top in proportion to its length and bears the detail of the upturned ends that makes it more formal, and possibly used as an altar table. Camphor wood is excellent for furniture making because of its attractive wood grain patterns and its distinctive scent that repels insects.

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