Comparative Study of Furniture Styles from the Qing Dynasty

Abstract

Traditional Chinese furniture is a valuable part of the world cultural heritage. The Ming and Qing dynasties are considered golden ages of Chinese furniture history. Various furniture manufacturing centres with different regional styles appeared, especially after the reign of Emperor Qianlong. The paper presents a preliminary comparative study of the six main styles of Qing furniture. These analysed data of cultural background, materials used, and modelling of different styles offer readers a better understanding of traditional Chinese furniture, aiming to bring a contribution to the relevant scientific information needed for the identification, conservation, and restoration of historic Chinese furniture.