Chinese Wedding Chest

Several years ago, when my cousin lived in Shanghai, she brought me a book of measured drawings of traditional Chinese furniture designs. This armoire was inspired by others in that book, as well as fine examples at the Metropolitan Museum and the Brooklyn Museum. The doors and base are reclaimed pine from the structure of a warehouse in New York City, and they show lots of history. The handle areas are silver leafed to loosely suggest the ornate metalwork used traditionally. Collection of the artist.