Chinoiserie Garniture
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.
Mid-18th Century German Antique Chinoiserie Garniture
Porcelain, Ceramic
Mid-20th Century Italian Chinoiserie Garniture
Porcelain
Mid-20th Century Italian Chinoiserie Garniture
Porcelain
Early 20th Century English Chinoiserie Garniture
Ironstone
20th Century French Chinoiserie Garniture
Tin
Late 17th Century Dutch Antique Chinoiserie Garniture
Faience, Ceramic
17th Century Chinese Antique Chinoiserie Garniture
Ormolu, Bronze
1880s European Antique Chinoiserie Garniture
Porcelain
Late 19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Garniture
Onyx, Ormolu, Bronze
19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Garniture
Porcelain
Early 19th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Garniture
Ironstone
1960s Japanese Vintage Chinoiserie Garniture
Porcelain
2010s Chinese Chinoiserie Garniture
Porcelain
Mid-20th Century Chinoiserie Garniture
Porcelain
18th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Garniture
Metal
19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Garniture
Tôle
21st Century and Contemporary Chinese Chinoiserie Garniture
Porcelain
1890s Antique Chinoiserie Garniture
Marble
Mid-19th Century German Antique Chinoiserie Garniture
Porcelain, Meissen
19th Century German Antique Chinoiserie Garniture
Porcelain
Mid-18th Century Dutch Antique Chinoiserie Garniture
Faience
1880s Antique Chinoiserie Garniture
Marble
19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Garniture
Bronze, Enamel
Late 19th Century Dutch Antique Chinoiserie Garniture
Ceramic, Pottery
19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Garniture
Bronze, Enamel
19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Garniture
Porcelain
1820s Chinese Antique Chinoiserie Garniture
1870s Dutch Antique Chinoiserie Garniture
Delft
Late 18th Century Dutch Antique Chinoiserie Garniture
Delft
19th Century Dutch Antique Chinoiserie Garniture
Delft