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Chinese Scholar's Mind |
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 Chambers
Fine Art juxtaposed a selection of classical furniture, Scholar's
Objects, and the photography of Sidney
D.Gamble (1860-1968), for the exhibition,
The Chinese Scholar's Mind. Gamble, an American sociologist
and scholar of China, took photographs from 1908 to 1932
that offer significant insights into the historical and cultural
conditions of the times. These remarkable photographs accompany
furniture from Shanxi province, Jiangsu province, Zheziang
province and Gansu province.
 The
exhibition explores the influence of the philosophy of the
Chinese scholar on furniture and the accoutrements of the
scholarly life. Dating from the Ming (1368 - 1644) and Qing
(1644-1911) dynasties, the furniture in this exhibition,
elegant in its simplicity and sophisticated in structure,
comes from many provinces of China. Although it is possible
to admire it from a purely aesthetic point of view, it assumes
deeper meaning when seen as the physical manifestation of
deeply held philosophical views. Chinese scholars practiced
meditation and cultivated tranquility since  they
were influenced by the ideas and calmness of Daoism, and
by the ideology of Buddhism. The fundamental premise of Ming
furniture was to crystallize the atmosphere of tranquility
in the simplicity of its structure and form. Perhaps it is
the feeling of tranquility that emanates from Ming furniture
that accounts for the deep satisfaction it brings.
 Among
the outstanding pieces in the exhibition are two Canopy Beds,
a rare eight- post example in Southern elm (Jumu) dating
from the 17th century and a six-post example in elm dating
from the 18th century. All the major forms of chairs - Comb-back,
Yokeback, Southern Official's Hat Armchairs, Horseshoe-
back Armchairs and folding chairs - are represented as well
as a selection of painting tables, of supreme importance
to scholars. The furniture that delighted scholars three
hundred years ago has lost none of its appeal to contemporary
collectors.
 During
his four extended stays in China - in 1908, 1917-1919, 1924-27
and 1931-1932 - Sidney
Gamble traveled widely as he accumulated the materials
for his classic social studies, including Peking: A Social
Survey, 1921 and How Chinese Families Live in Peiping, 1933.
The massive amount of documentation required for his social
surveys was enlivened by the thousands of photographs that
he took during the course of his travels. In photographs
such as North China Union Women's College Library, 1919
and Bell and Stone Drums, 1918, Gamble focused his camera
on a world as yet unmarred by the turbulent events taking
place in the streets.
More images from this exhibition
Catalogue Available |
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cfa@chambersfineart.com
