Henredon Chin
Vintage 1970s North American Chinoiserie Cabinets
Mahogany
People Also Browsed
2010s Italian Books
Other
Late 20th Century North American Chinoiserie Dining Room Tables
Burl
20th Century American Hollywood Regency Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Brass
20th Century North American Paintings
Acrylic
Antique Late 18th Century Chinese Qing Side Tables
Lacquer
Late 20th Century American Chinoiserie Cabinets
Brass
Early 2000s American Modern Dining Room Tables
Oak
Antique 19th Century English Chinese Chippendale Card Tables and Tea Tables
Mahogany
Antique Early 1900s Chinese Chinese Export Furniture
Bamboo, Wood, Elm
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Wardrobes and Armoires
Burl
Late 20th Century Sheraton Dining Room Tables
Mahogany, Satinwood
Mid-20th Century American Cabinets
Brass
Late 20th Century North American Louis XV Secretaires
Walnut
Vintage 1980s Chinese Chippendale End Tables
Brass
Late 20th Century American Georgian Dining Room Tables
Brass
Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Card Tables and Tea Tables
Hardwood
Recent Sales
Vintage 1970s American Chinoiserie Beds and Bed Frames
Walnut
Late 20th Century North American Chinoiserie Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Walnut
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.
Read More
Jackie Kennedy and Sister Parish Placed This Tea Table in the White House
The former First Lady kept the Victorian antique, with an elegant chinoiserie design, for the rest of her life.
Susanna Salk’s Favorite Designers Show Us How to Play with Patterns
Taking us on a whirlwind tour of spaces that use charming prints with aplomb, the interiors expert makes a compelling case for ditching staid solids when tackling your next decorating project.