Painted Opera Chest From Shanxi - Ca 1900

Painted Opera Chest From Shanxi  Province - made from paulownia wood - circa 1900

Chests of this style are constructed from paulownia wood (tong mu / 桐木) Paulownia trees were often planted at the birth of a daughter and were considered symbols of prosperity, fertility & marital bliss. Upon reaching maturity the tree would be crafted into furniture and given as part of a bride's dowry symbolising hope for a prosperous & enduring marriage. 

Whilst most chests of this style are decorated with operatic scenes, this one is instead decorated with floral scenes.

There is an undoubted fallacy surrounding opera chests which are often said to have been used by the traveling Shanxi Opera for carrying clothes and props. This is almost certainly untrue and an assumption by Western dealers inspired by the painted opera scenes that decorate the majority of this style of chest. 

Like all our pieces, it has been sympathetically restored showing signs of ware and the marks of age.

89 x 57.5 x 62  (wxdxh cms)

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