A rare Zitan Luohan Bed with Marble Panels, Luohanchuang Qing Dynasty, 18th Century

the mat seat enclosed by the rectangular frame with 'ice-plate' edge supported on a narrow straight waist and straight apron above heavy square-section legs terminating in hoof feet, joined at either end by a humpback stretcher, the back frame divided into three sections, each with inner frame set with a panel of white and black marble, suggestive of swirling clouds and mountainous landscape scenes, the exterior carved with three raised panels, each enclosing archaistic dragons, the abutting side rails similarly set with two marble panels to the front and carved to the exterior, all surmounted by a humpback cresting rail joined by carved and pierced inter-laced dragon roundels to the back and sides

Purchased from Hei Hung-Lu, Hong Kong, late 1980s/early 1990s.

This impressive Luohan bed is in very good condition with the exception of some very minor patching to the main frame, replaced hard matt base and possibly the trimming strips, a small fill to the top front edge of the frame and minor surface scratches and wear commensurate with age.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This attractive marble-mounted couch bed (luohanchang) is a striking example of the dual role of furniture of the Qing dynasty: to provide both utilitarian and decorative functions. The enigmatic marble panels provide a stunning contrast with the silky lustre of the dark zitan wood, which has been left largely devoid of carving on the legs and base and with only subtle low-relief carving on the interior of the panels to also draw attention to the quality of the wood. Couch beds constructed from zitan are rare due to the scarcity of the material, which suggests that this bed would have graced the studio of an important member of the imperial family.

 

Treasured by scholars and popular from the Ming dynasty, marble panels were first mounted on wooden frames and referred to as ‘stone paintings’. They were predominantly made of stone quarried from Dali in Yunnan province. The natural markings suggest ink landscapes and were thus suitable for adorning scholar’s studios and garden pavilions. Their inclusion in the panels of this couch bed is particularly appropriate, as it would have provided a means of inspiration for scholars as they gathered and engaged in discourse, calligraphy or painting. Compare a mahogany couch bed similarly decorated with eleven marble panel inlays, but the marble mounted to be visible from both sides, from the Qing Court collection and still in Beijing, published in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Furniture of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (II), Hong Kong, 2002, pl. 13. The Qing dynasty vogue of embellishing structural frames with marble can also be seen on an album painting, A Life Portrait of Emperor Yongzheng, illustrating the Yongzheng reclining on his marble-panelled bed, published in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Paintings by the Court Artists of the Qing Court, Hong Kong, 1996, pl. 16, p. 108;  and a painting of ladies examining a painting, with a marble bed in the background, from the album Imperial Ladies Enjoying Themselves in 12 Lunar Months, from the Qing Court collection and still in Beijing, published in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Genre Paintings of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Hong Kong, 2008, pl. 47.11.

 

Couch beds are characterised by their railings which extend over three sides of the seat, the form of which developed to a subtle stepped shape to echo the form of a throne. Ingenious for its use as a couch during the day and a bed at night, the transformation from one to the other required minimal effort and could be enjoyed alone or in the company of a guest. Playing Double Sixes, a Yuan dynasty woodblock print illustration to Chen Yuanjin’s Compendium of a Forest of Affairs (Shilin guangji), depicts two men seated on a bed of related form while they enjoy a game of double sixes. The design of the bed was perfected in the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) when the structural supports pictured in the print were able to be removed and careful attention was paid to the harmonious arrangement of the panels.

 

Wang Shixiang in Connoisseurship of Chinese Furniture. Ming and Early Qing Dynasties, vol. 1, Hong Kong, 1990, pp 77-78, notes that the most common railing on low-back beds is a three-panelled screen form with a large rear panel and smaller side panels; the next popular being the five-screen panel screen, with three panels at the rear and one at each side; followed by the seven-screen type with three panels at the back and two on each side. The seven-screen version, such as the present lot, was rare in the Ming dynasty but increased in popularity by the mid-Qing dynasty.