Antique Monkey Chinoiserie
Antique Early 19th Century English Georgian Pitchers
Ironstone
People Also Browsed
Antique Early 19th Century English Georgian Pitchers
Ironstone
Antique Early 19th Century English Chinoiserie Ceramics
Ironstone
Antique Mid-19th Century English Chinoiserie Vases
Ironstone
Antique Early 19th Century English Georgian Ceramics
Ironstone
Antique Early 19th Century English Georgian Ceramics
Ironstone
Antique Early 19th Century English Chinoiserie Ceramics
Ironstone
Antique 19th Century English Chinoiserie Ceramics
Ironstone
Antique Early 19th Century English Chinoiserie Pottery
Ironstone
Antique Late 19th Century English Chinoiserie Ceramics
Ironstone
Antique Early 19th Century English Georgian Tableware
Ironstone
Antique 19th Century English William IV Pitchers
Ironstone
Antique Early 19th Century English George III Pitchers
Ironstone
Antique Early 19th Century English William IV Pitchers
Ironstone
Antique Early 19th Century English Chinoiserie Ceramics
Ironstone
Antique Early 19th Century English Chinoiserie Platters and Serveware
Ironstone
Antique Early 19th Century English George III Pitchers
Ironstone
Recent Sales
Vintage 1980s American Chinoiserie Chandeliers and Pendants
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary American Chinoiserie Side Tables
Iron
21st Century and Contemporary American Chinoiserie Side Tables
Iron
Vintage 1960s American Chinoiserie Chandeliers and Pendants
Metal
20th Century Unknown Chinoiserie Paintings
Wood
A Close Look at chinoiserie Furniture
Emerging in the 17th century, chinoiserie appropriated the aesthetics and imagery of popular East Asian design for European-made versions. Reflecting the exoticization of China, Japan and other countries in this era, the word directly translates from French to “Chinese-esque,” which reveals its shortcomings as a style of furniture and decor that often stereotypically and reductively mimics Asian culture rather than showcasing and paying tribute to its artistic traditions.
The enthusiastically decorative chinoiserie style was propelled by influential tastemakers including French King Louis XIV, whose Trianon de Porcelaine in 1670 was inspired by Chinese architecture. Expanded trade between the East and West led to a demand for porcelain, lacquer objects, silk and other goods, which further informed the fanciful furniture being crafted in Europe.
Artisans working in the chinoiserie style used materials and elements like pagoda shapes, bamboo, lacquer surfaces, bird and flower motifs and other interpretations of Asian design on pieces that were frequently set against vibrant wallcoverings. This whimsical approach yielded chinoiserie furniture that boasted dramatic flourishes drawing on the natural world and reflected the dominance of Rococo during the 18th century.
As chinoiserie was shaped by approximations of Asian design by European creators, it had regional variations, such as Chinese Chippendale in England where cabinets, chairs and tea tables had wooden fretwork designs and “japanned” surfaces intended to resemble lacquer work that was created in East Asia. In North America, furniture makers in Boston and New York integrated chinoiserie-painted scenes into Queen Anne furniture.
Antique chinoiserie furniture has continued to be fashionable, from its popularity with decorators of the Hollywood Regency era — James Mont, Tommi Parzinger, William Haines and Samuel Marx favored the style — to contemporary interior designers, although it brings with it a complex history.
Find a collection of chinoiserie bedroom furniture, cabinets, decorative objects and more on 1stDibs.
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