Antique Chinese chest painted in pine wood – China, circa 1900

Antique Chinese chest painted in pine wood, provincial furniture painted with figurative scenes originating from Inner Mongolia and dated around 1900. It comes from Inner Mongolia, in northern China, from the late 19th century, where the local pine was crafted using mortise and tenon joinery without nails, featuring fronts painted with polychrome figurative and floral compositions. In northern Mongolian households, painted chests were central pieces of the marriage dowry and family treasure: they contained fabrics, clothing, and personal items, serving both a symbolic and decorative function. The density of pictorial decoration on their front corresponded to the social role of the furniture in the home, equivalent to that of large lacquered furniture in other regional traditions. Details. Dimensions: Length 86 cm – Depth 55 cm – Height 61 cm. Style: Painted provincial furniture from Inner Mongolia. Materials and techniques: Solid pine, pigments on wood, wrought iron fittings; mortise and tenon joinery without nails, front painted with central figurative scene, calligraphic inscription, polychrome floral borders. Place of origin: Inner Mongolia (China) Period: Late Qing dynasty (circa 1900) Date of manufacture: Circa 1900. Condition / Observations: Structure intact. Original paint with slight losses and cracking. Original fittings. Wear consistent with age and use.