Antique buffet painted in elm – China, circa 1950

This antique buffet, painted in elm wood, features two doors with central painted panels on a cream background and a lacquered frame in vermilion red and black. Below the doors are two drawers with painted landscapes. It originates from China, from the mid-20th century, where the elm was crafted using traditional mortise and tenon joinery. Chinese painted furniture from the Qing-Republic transitional period has retained the classic typology of the two-door buffet while adapting the palette to a more vibrant expression: vermilion red frames outlined in black, central panels with figurative scenes in light tones, and continuous painted decoration extending to the lower drawers. This typology served in main rooms as both storage and a central decorative piece. The body is constructed from solid elm. The facade consists of two identical doors with a peripheral frame lacquered in vermilion red outlined in black and a central panel painted on a cream background. Below the doors, two long drawers feature painted landscapes with forged iron ring handles. The interior is divided into two compartments with an intermediate shelf. The joinery is traditional Chinese mortise and tenon, without screws. The painted decoration on the panels displays figurative compositions of flower baskets and vases on a cream background, framed by a gilded border. The lower drawers feature shan-shui landscapes in soft ink. The palette combines vermilion red, lacquered black, cream, gold, and black outlines for profiling. These motifs belong to the auspicious repertoire of Chinese domestic furniture. Details. Dimensions: Length 141 cm – Depth 42 cm – Height 80 cm. Style: Qing Dynasty. Materials and techniques: Solid elm; forged iron fittings; traditional Chinese mortise and tenon joinery; painted panels with lacquered framing in vermilion red and black. Place of origin: China. Period: Mid-20th century. Date of manufacture: Circa 1950.