One of a Pair of Chair Strips with Auspicious Patterns

One of a Pair of Chair Strips with Auspicious Patterns

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Unlike upholstered furniture in the West, chairs in China were, historically, covered only temporarily with textiles. These chair strips (see also 65.210.2) were designed and woven specifically for the purpose. As is typical of such strips, the length is divided into multiple segments, each bearing a different design for the part of the chair it covers—the front legs, seat, or back—as well as a short segment that hangs behind the chair. This pair of auspiciously patterned chair strips was appropriate for special occasions such as birthday celebrations. Peaches (symbols of immortality) and the character for longevity (shou) decorate the segment behind the chair, and the front legs are covered with a pattern of pavilions in the sea, which probably refers to the isles of the immortals.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

One of a Pair of Chair Strips with Auspicious PatternsOne of a Pair of Chair Strips with Auspicious PatternsOne of a Pair of Chair Strips with Auspicious PatternsOne of a Pair of Chair Strips with Auspicious PatternsOne of a Pair of Chair Strips with Auspicious Patterns

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.