Minneapolis Institute of Art

Garden stool, one of a pair

China

Date

17th century

Medium

Stoneware with celadon glaze

Department

Asian Art

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

This pair of ceramic garden seats is inspired by stools made of wrapped cane or bamboo. Ancient Chinese paintings depict simple stools made of bundled rush, cane, or bamboo being used both inside and out-of-doors. Such drum-shaped stools were comprised of overlapping loops of cane which, when tied together, created a light, rigid framework that left openings in the body of the stool. The present examples clearly reflect the circles of bundled cane lashed together that the less expensive stools were made of. The idea of imitating humble bamboo furniture in precious hardwoods was popular during Ming and Ch'ing and these stools can be seen as an extension of that same tradition: loosely imitating an inexpensive material with a more prestigious and permanent one. China, Asia

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