Pair of Yoke Back chairs

Pair of straight high-backed chairs, smooth back support. Yoke-Back Armchairs were one of the earliest and most enduring designs to emerge in China and were very popular from as early as the Song Dynasty ( 960 to 1279 AD). The head rail is curved in such a way that it resembles the brimmed hats of Chinese government officials and so these chairs are also often referred to as Official’s Hat Armchairs (‘guanmaoyi’). At first this type of chair was used by royalty but then spread to the elite classes. The curves of the back splat and the arms give dynamism and an aura of power and energy to the design, while stretchers added strength to the legs. The apron below the seat would sometimes be decorated with carvings, while the back splat would often include a painting or carving of an auspicious symbol such as a dragon or bat to symbolise, for example, good luck or prosperity.