What is a Ming chair?

A Ming chair refers to a typically elaborate and sophisticated piece of seating furniture that was designed during China’s Ming dynasty — an era that saw a deepening of interest in interior design and furniture in the East Asian country owing to the evolution of joinery techniques and a rise in Chinese commerce. Celebrated Danish furniture maker Hans Wegner transitioned from cabinetry to furniture design in the 1940s and, in 1944, began to develop seating based on Ming dynasty chairs.