Footed Keeper's Trunk

Trunks and storage chests were the most ubiquitous form of household storage throughout the Ming and Qing dynasties. Used to store clothes, linens, kitchen utensils, and other miscellaneous items, trunks were found in every room in the home and were often stacked on top of one another.

This large chest from China's Gansu province dates to the early 20th century and was crafted from poplar using mortise-and-tenon joinery techniques. The footing at its base was designed to protect the contents from ground moisture and allow air to circulate beneath the box. Cloaked in a beautifully worn dark finish, the trunk bears traces of its original painted decoration of delicate floral arrangements and auspicious scholars' objects.