Chelsea House Chinoiserie
2010s Italian Chinoiserie Ceramics
Ceramic
Late 20th Century Chinese Chinoiserie Wardrobes and Armoires
Rattan, Wood
1990s Chinese Chinoiserie Vases
Porcelain
Recent Sales
Mid-20th Century American Chinoiserie Trumeau Mirrors
Canvas, Mirror, Giltwood
Late 20th Century American Chinoiserie Table Lamps
Resin
Late 20th Century Chinoiserie Paintings
Silk
Late 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Ceramic, Porcelain
Early 2000s Urns
Porcelain
Late 20th Century Chinoiserie Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood, Lacquer
Late 20th Century Chinoiserie Table Lamps
Ceramic
Late 20th Century American Chinoiserie Table Lamps
Brass
Late 20th Century American Chinoiserie Decorative Art
Silk, Giltwood, Paint
20th Century Asian Chinoiserie Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Wood
People Also Browsed
Vintage 1970s Italian Post-Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal, Brass
1990s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Swedish Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Textile
Antique Late 19th Century French Napoleon III Fireplaces and Mantels
Marble, Breccia Marble, Carrara Marble
Antique 1730s European Baroque Beds and Bed Frames
Paint
Antique Early 1900s French Arts and Crafts Wardrobes and Armoires
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and...
Brass
Vintage 1980s American Louis XVI Bookcases
Brass
Late 20th Century American Chinoiserie Cabinets
Wood
Antique 19th Century Louis XV Wardrobes and Armoires
Mirror, Walnut
Antique Early 19th Century Chinese Chinese Chippendale Cabinets
Wood
Early 20th Century American Empire Wardrobes and Armoires
Mirror, Mahogany
Antique 1810s Italian Neoclassical Wardrobes and Armoires
Fir
Early 20th Century Unknown Anglo-Indian Cabinets
Mother-of-Pearl, Teak
Late 20th Century American Modern Dressers
Metal
Antique 19th Century English Chinese Chippendale Vitrines
Glass, Mahogany
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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