Kaiser Ming
20th Century German Chinoiserie Decorative Art
Porcelain
Vintage 1970s German Chinoiserie Decorative Art
Porcelain
People Also Browsed
Vintage 1970s German Tea Sets
Bone
Late 20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Vases
Porcelain
Early 20th Century German Baroque Porcelain
Porcelain
Vintage 1970s German Mid-Century Modern Vases
Porcelain
Vintage 1980s German Modern Porcelain
Porcelain
Vintage 1970s Mid-Century Modern Vases
Porcelain
Late 20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Vases
Porcelain
Vintage 1970s German Space Age Chandeliers and Pendants
Steel
Vintage 1960s German Mid-Century Modern Vases
Porcelain
Vintage 1970s German Space Age Wall Lights and Sconces
Ceramic
Vintage 1960s German Mid-Century Modern Vases
Porcelain
Late 20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Vases
Porcelain
Vintage 1970s German Mid-Century Modern Floor Lamps
Ceramic
Vintage 1960s German Mid-Century Modern Porcelain
Porcelain
Vintage 1970s German Dinner Plates
Porcelain
Vintage 1970s German Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Glass
Recent Sales
Antique 18th Century and Earlier Chinese Chinese and East Asian Rugs
Wool, Cotton
Early 2000s German Chinoiserie Vases
Porcelain
Vintage 1970s German Chinoiserie Vases
Porcelain
Vintage 1980s German Chinoiserie Vases
Porcelain
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.