Provenance: Private Collection, Manila

ABOUT THE WORK

This pair of chairs is an elaborate version of the usual Luis Quince chairs seen in Philippine collections today, and the intricateness of the design and the quality of the workmanship and carving definitely screams that it is the work of the famous Ah Tay. The chair stands on two delicate and graceful cabriole legs in front and a pair of square legs slightly curved at the back. The sides of the legs are grooved, the groove transforming itself into a volute on the bow-shaped apron, while the bowed edge of the apron is scalloped. The seat support is edged with a quarter-round molding, while the seat is caned. At the sides are S-shaped arm supports on which rest gracefully curved arms ending with a scroll in front. The grooved back stile is bowed to follow the circular shape of the back support resting on a lowerback stile. Surmounting it is a pierced crest, its outline shaped like a stylized bat in flight, the Chinese symbol of happiness and joy. This is because the pronunciation of the word is similar to that of good fortune. The outline of the crest, composed of grooved scallops decorated with bosses, enclose a reticulated panel carved with a central tri-lobed leaf flanked symmetrically by a leaf-scroll with a flower with four petals. The oval backrest is caned in front and at the back. -Martin I. Tinio, Jr.