Chinese Altar with Bottom Cabinet

Red and gold shrine of carved dragons, columns, and a mirrored niche.

This altar with bottom cabinet is from Shanxi Province, China, and dates to the 18th century. It is elm wood. During the Cultural Revolution, from 1966 to 1976, a great deal of antique Chinese furniture was burned, confiscated or scattered, which the article says helped start the scarcity of such pieces. Seen here is a tall red lacquered piece with dense gilded carving, slender columns, and a small tiled roof with upturned tips. A central niche has a plain dark back, and a cabinet with carved drawers sits below. It is 56 inches long, 24.75 deep and 93 high.

A gilded flourish for every empty space.