Painted Opera Chest From Shanxi - 19th Century Finish - Black Lacquer 50 x 40 x 62

50 x 40 x 62 cms (wxdxh)

each painted with six phoenixes surrounded by leafy flowering peonies

Few pieces have survived due to their fragile nature

Dating to the 19th century it would have been covered in pitch to protect it from the elements

5 x 2 x 46

Painted Opera Chest From Shanxi - 19th Century Finish - Black Lacquer 50 x 40 x 62This old painted Opera Chest depicts scenes of the traditional Chinese opera. This style of Chinese chest is found exclusively in Shanxi Province in Northern China and dates from the late 19th century. Opera chests, including this one, are constructed from paulownia wood (tong mu ). Paulownia trees were often planted at the birth of a daughter and were considered symbols of prosperity, fertility & marital bliss. Upon reaching maturity the tree would