Chinese Four Door Lattice Cabinet

Four doors, several hundred little squares, and nothing hidden entirely.

This four door lattice cabinet comes from Hebei Province, China, and is contemporary, made of elm wood. In China, lattice-door cabinets were used to store food, clothing and household goods, since the openings let air move through while keeping contents in place. Here each tall door holds a fine grid of square openings in a rounded frame, with small metal fittings at the center. Wide, rounded posts rise to a flat top with a slight overhang, and the grain shows clearly through the dark finish. Eighty-four inches high, 64.5 long and 22 deep.

Whatever goes inside should be prepared to be seen in part.