清宫内务府造办处档案之天然木家具研究

On the Natural Tree-shaped Furniture Included in the Qing Court Workshops’ Archives

《清宫内务府造办处档案》是宫廷造办处各作活计的记录。本文以其中关于天然木家具的档案为研究对象,结合现存文物和相关资料,梳理这类家具概念的实指,并分析出档案记录的不完全与对原有家具的改做是这类家具具体制作数量与档案记录数量不对应的原因。档案反映出清代宫廷这类家具主要来自造办处、地方制造和官员等进贡,非造办处所造的家具入宫后常会因功能和审美等原因被改制。清宫此类家具制作最多的年份与一些皇家园林修成时期正好呼应,这主要源于二者在审美功能上的一致性。制作此类家具会先画样再攒做,部分家具还会作色、上漆、绘制。除了制作外,这类家具还会被作为一种样式来仿作,充分体现了其审美追求的是"天然感"而非"天然性"。清宫对于这类家具的维护,注重用原材料修补,推行材木刷漆、上黄油,硬木烫蜡的保养"见新"方式。

The paper proceeds on The Qing Court Imperial Workshops’ Archives, the extant objects and documents to probe into the property and concept of the tree-shaped furniture—the furniture made in the natural shape of trees. The inconsistency between the actual number and that in the archival records resulted from the incomplete record, redesign and reuses of the old furniture. The imperial and local workshops as well as official’s tribute were the sources of the furniture, but that of the nonimperial workshop was usually reshaped for reasons like functional or aesthetic requirement after entry to the court. Since the aesthetic feature of the tree-shaped furniture is in harmony with the function of classic Chinese garden, the imperial gardens were being constructed at the same time that such furniture was produced at its most. This type of furniture was regularly made through the procedure of designing, drawing the sketch and assembling while some was later stained, varnished and painted. Furthermore, such tree-shaped furniture was also modeled for its unique style, which reflects the pursuit of a sense of naturalness in the Qing dynasty. The Qing court cared about the conservation of this furniture, stressed to use original material in repair and promoted revitalizing methods such as varnishing and oil-finishing for softwood, and waxing for hardwood.