Asian Tin Canister
20th Century Unknown Chinoiserie More Asian Art, Objects and Furniture
Stone, Jade, Soapstone, Tin
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Brass, Tin
Mid-20th Century American Chinoiserie Table Lamps
Metal
People Also Browsed
21st Century and Contemporary American Bohemian Chandeliers and Pendants
Brass
20th Century Chinese Chinoiserie Furniture
Soapstone
Antique 18th Century Chinese Chinese Export Soup Tureens
Porcelain
Late 20th Century Hollywood Regency Table Lamps
Ceramic
21st Century and Contemporary Chinese Paintings and Screens
Paper
Mid-20th Century American Chinoiserie Table Lamps
Ceramic
21st Century and Contemporary North American Sofas
Linen
21st Century and Contemporary Chinese Chinese Export Table Lamps
Brass
Antique Early 1800s Tibetan Furniture
Elm
2010s Hong Kong Chinoiserie Paintings and Screens
Paper
20th Century Unknown Victorian Table Lamps
2010s English Louis XVI Beds and Bed Frames
Cane, Wood
Vintage 1930s French Chinoiserie Table Lamps
Metal, Brass
Vintage 1960s American Hollywood Regency Barware
Metal
Late 20th Century Modern Table Lamps
Ceramic
Antique Late 19th Century Indian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Brass
Recent Sales
Mid-20th Century Chinoiserie Table Lamps
Tin
20th Century English Chinoiserie Decorative Boxes
Tin
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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