Chinese Low Square Poet's Table, C. 1890

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During winter in the colder provinces of China, life revolved around the kang, a heated brick platform that household members … Read more During winter in the colder provinces of China, life revolved around the kang, a heated brick platform that household members would sit or recline upon. Placed on top of the kang, low tables provided a convenient surface for dining, drinking tea, or playing games.

Quiet and refined, this square kang table from the late 19th century embodies the restraint and simplicity of form that defines classical Chinese furniture design. It's easy to imagine the minimal table at the center of a grand home or scholar's retreat, providing a casual surface for reading, writing and composing poetry. The low table is crafted of beech wood with a square, floating-panel top, waisted apron and slender legs ending in hoof feet. See less