exhibition

The exhibition gallery is a showcase of rare furniture highlighting the aesthetic principles of Chinese furniture.

People interested in joinery will be fascinated by the unique display of authentic furniture that has been specially prepared to reveal how the joints were made and lock into each other. These pieces demonstrate the ingenuity of design and construction of traditional Chinese furniture.

When viewing the furniture it is worth reflecting on the centuries of practice by traditional cabinet-makers in China to perfect a joinery system for crafting solid timber furniture without using screws or nails. The frame of the furniture uses interlocking mortise and tenon joints. The panels are secured by dovetailed cross braces but otherwise float within the frame.

This method of construction explains why the furniture can survive for centuries with little compromise on integrity.

There is also a display of pieces with date marks, clear evidence of the longevity of Chinese furniture. Very few pieces of furniture were date marked and it is very rare to see a collection of such pieces in the one place. Chinese had two different calendars. One follows the reign period of the emperor while the other is a sixty year cycle. Examples of both systems are on display with explanatory notes.

We will be hosting other furniture exhibitions highlighting the relationship between furniture and the people who used it on a daily basis.