Black Guanmaoyi Chair

With its strong lines and upright stature, this imposing piece of furniture was the chair of choice for a 19th-century administrator in northern China. Known as guanmaoyi or official's hat armchairs, the chair is defined by its elegant yet minimalist design, crafted of northern elm (yumu) with a prominent back splat and a silhouette drawn of graceful curves. Finished with black lacquer, the chair is decorated only by a beaded edge along the front apron and an archaistic dragon motif carved into the back.