Painted Opera Chest From Shanxi Province - 19th Century Religious Item From Hebei Province - 19thC

From Hebei Province - 19thC

90 x 40 x 152 tall (w x d x h cms)

you can see a chain for padlocking the doors shut when leaving the home

and offers a fascinating glimpse into the visual language of traditional astrology

with thin bush like branches

Painted Opera Chest From Shanxi Province - 19th Century Religious Item From Hebei Province - 19thCThis old painted Chinese trunk is known and often referred to as an Opera Chest. 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