Minneapolis Institute of Art

Stool

China

Date

17th century

Medium

Huanghuali hardwood

Department

Asian Art

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

The design of this pair of large square stools was inspired by bamboo furniture. One of the centers of the manufacture of luxury bamboo furniture during Ming was Suchou, a region well known for its production of hardwood furniture. Imitating bamboo, the rounded sections of these stools, for instance, required more time to produce than would square section stock. The round corners of the seat frames and leg-encircling stretchers that appear to wrap around each leg are also a direct reference to bamboo construction techniques in which a single length of bamboo would have been steamed and wrapped around all four legs. The interlocked circles are auspicious symbols for permanence, longevity, and when read as double coins, represent wealth and prosperity. China, Asia

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