skins - Different from the impression gained in many museums with
exhibitions of Chinese furniture collections, tables and chairs were
often adorned or covered with textiles. Upholstery was unknown except
for a certain kind of matting. Therefore chairs were often draped
with covers or with precious skins. The ‘Lantern Festival’ scroll
shows a leopard and a tiger skin for sale in this store. We can also
find skins being used as chair covers in the upstairs section of the
restaurant depicted in the scroll.
Leopard and Tiger symbolize strength and energy. Therefore images of
both animals adorned Mandarin squares, the rank badges of military
officials in the early Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).
