Chinoiserie Vases
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.
1890s French Antique Chinoiserie Vases
Brass
19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Vases
Ormolu
21st Century and Contemporary German Chinoiserie Vases
Porcelain
Late 19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Vases
Opaline Glass
Early 20th Century Hong Kong Chinoiserie Vases
Ceramic, Paint
1950s Chinese Vintage Chinoiserie Vases
Porcelain
Mid-19th Century Asian Antique Chinoiserie Vases
Porcelain
Mid-20th Century Chinese Chinoiserie Vases
Porcelain, Wood
Early 20th Century Chinese Chinoiserie Vases
Porcelain, Wood
Mid-20th Century Chinese Chinoiserie Vases
Ceramic
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Chinoiserie Vases
Porcelain
1960s French Vintage Chinoiserie Vases
Metal, Brass, Enamel
Mid-18th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Vases
Porcelain
19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Vases
Brass
Mid-19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Vases
Marble, Crystal, Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Chinese Chinoiserie Vases
Ceramic
2010s German Chinoiserie Vases
Porcelain
2010s German Chinoiserie Vases
Crystal
Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinoiserie Vases
Porcelain
Early 20th Century French Chinoiserie Vases
Ormolu
2010s German Chinoiserie Vases
Crystal
2010s German Chinoiserie Vases
Crystal
2010s German Chinoiserie Vases
Crystal
19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Vases
Porcelain
2010s German Chinoiserie Vases
Crystal
1990s Chinese Chinoiserie Vases
Metal
Late 20th Century Chinoiserie Vases
Glass, Wood
1920s French Vintage Chinoiserie Vases
Porcelain
1970s Vintage Chinoiserie Vases
Metal, Enamel
1970s Chinese Vintage Chinoiserie Vases
Enamel
Mid-20th Century Unknown Chinoiserie Vases
Wood
Late 20th Century Chinoiserie Vases
Porcelain, Hardwood
20th Century Chinese Chinoiserie Vases
Brass
Early 20th Century Chinese Chinoiserie Vases
Brass
Mid-19th Century Chinese Antique Chinoiserie Vases
Porcelain
Early 1900s Hungarian Antique Chinoiserie Vases
Porcelain
Mid-20th Century Chinese Chinoiserie Vases
Copper