Maitland Smith Chinoiserie Panel
Late 20th Century Philippine Aesthetic Movement Wardrobes and Armoires
Wood
Vintage 1970s Chinoiserie Wardrobes and Armoires
Faux Bamboo, Wood, Wicker
Late 20th Century Chinoiserie Contemporary Art
Lacquer, Paint
Late 20th Century Chinoiserie Decorative Art
Wood
Late 20th Century Philippine Chinoiserie Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
20th Century British Chinoiserie Armchairs
Faux Bamboo, Cane
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2010s South African Minimalist Pedestals
Hardwood
21st Century and Contemporary Swedish Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Textile
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Benches
Fabric, Velvet, Lacquer, Wood
Early 20th Century English Edwardian Wardrobes and Armoires
Other
Antique 19th Century English Baroque Animal Sculptures
Marble
20th Century Console Tables
Bamboo, Rattan
Antique Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Beds and Bed Frames
Cane, Walnut
Antique Late 19th Century German Rococo Porcelain
Porcelain
Mid-20th Century American Chinoiserie Cabinets
Fabric, Faux Bamboo, Wood
Antique 19th Century English Victorian Wardrobes and Armoires
Walnut
Antique 18th Century French Wardrobes and Armoires
Walnut
Antique Late 19th Century American Aesthetic Movement Beds and Bed Frames
Birdseye Maple, Maple
Late 20th Century American Ming Cabinets
Brass
Antique 19th Century Wardrobes and Armoires
Walnut
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Cabinets
Faux Bamboo, Glass, Wood
Early 20th Century French Folk Art Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Shell, Glass, Wood
Recent Sales
Late 20th Century Philippine Chinoiserie Paintings and Screens
Brass
Vintage 1970s Chinoiserie Screens and Room Dividers
Wood
Late 20th Century American Chinoiserie Wall Mirrors
Mirror, Wood
20th Century Chinoiserie Screens and Room Dividers
Wood
Vintage 1980s American Chinoiserie Side Tables
Glass, Lacquer, Rattan
Vintage 1970s Chinese Chinoiserie Screens and Room Dividers
Bronze
Vintage 1970s Hong Kong Chinoiserie Paintings and Screens
Vintage 1970s Unknown Chinoiserie Cabinets
Brass
20th Century Philippine Chinoiserie Chairs
Faux Bamboo
Vintage 1970s American Console Tables
Brass
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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