Accession Number
2001/1.345

Title
Two Door Cabinet

Artist(s)
Chinese

Artist Nationality
Chinese (culture or style)

Object Creation Date
early 20th century

Medium & Support
blond rosewood (huali) with brass handles

Dimensions
55 in. x 30 1/2 in. x 17 1/4 in. ( 139.7 cm x 77.5 cm x 43.8 cm )

Credit Line
Gift of Marybelle B. Hanna

Subject matter
"The classic, tall, tapered, round-cornered cabinet encapsulates the essence of Ming style furniture. Its exposed framework, simple floating panels, minimal hardware, inward taper, and pronounced verticality create an impression of serene calm and balance. The legs [...] contribute a sense of lightness to a rather large volumetric form. As traditional Chinese homes did not have closets, cabinets and chests were necessary for the storage of clothing in bedroom settings.
Refined and elegant, the form relies on rounded corner stiles that splay slightly outward from the top, creating a feeling of balance and stability. The corner door rails have extended dowels top and bottom that fit into sockets in the upper and lower frame allowing the doors to pivot. This simple and ingenious device frees the body of surface-mounted metal hinges, contributing to the cabinet's clean lines and vertical emphasis."

Jacobsen, Robert D, Bruce B Dayton, Ruth Dayton, and Minneapolis Institute of Arts. Appreciating China: Gifts From Ruth And Bruce Dayton. Minneapolis, Minn.: Minneapolis Institute of Arts, 2002, p. 300.

Physical Description
A two door wooden floor cabinet with brass handles.

Primary Object Classification
Wood and Woodcarving

Primary Object Type
furniture

Additional Object Classification(s)
Furniture and Furniture Accessories

Collection Area
Asian

Rights
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit http://umma.umich.edu/request-image for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form. Keywords
doors
furniture
handles