Chinese Black Lacquer Altar Table with Red and Gilt Drawer Fronts

Description 

Tall Chinese hall table with decorative apron and legs. We were not aware of the bird carvings on the legs until compiling these photos. 105 cm high x 140 cm wide and 50 cm deep.

History

Altar tables of this form originated in Chinese temple and domestic interiors as offering tables, placed against walls beneath ancestral portraits or religious objects. The combination of black lacquer with red and gilt decoration follows a long tradition in Chinese decorative arts, the colours carrying associations with prosperity and good fortune.

Condition

In good overall condition. The lacquer and gilt are well preserved