Chinoiserie Screens and Room Dividers
CHINOISERIE STYLE
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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Style: Chinoiserie
A handsome hand-painted oriental screen / room divider, 20th century
Located in View Park, CA
A handsome vintage oriental partition or room divider, 20th century. Hand-painted with Asian birds and flowers in tones of licorice, maraschino, and frond green against a glowing gol...
Category
20th Century Asian Chinoiserie Screens and Room Dividers
Materials
Wood, Paint
Vintage Black Chinoiserie Silk Painted Four Panel Screen
Located in Houston, TX
1980s Chinese vintage black silk four panel painted silk screen. Each panel is 83.75"H x 15.5"W x 0.75"D.
Category
Late 20th Century Chinese Chinoiserie Screens and Room Dividers
Materials
Silk
Vintage Chinoiserie Six-Panel Decorative Screen with Birds and Gilded Landscape
Located in Yonkers, NY
This exquisite vintage six-panel screen brings timeless elegance and artistry to your living space. Featuring an intricate hand-painted design, the piece showcases serene water birds...
Category
Mid-20th Century Chinese Chinoiserie Screens and Room Dividers
Materials
Wood
20th Century Black Chinese Lacquered Wood Screen, Vintage Room Divider
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A black, vintage Chinese screen made of hand crafted lacquered wood, in good condition. The large, detailed Chinoiserie style room divider is co...
Category
Mid-20th Century Chinese Chinoiserie Screens and Room Dividers
Materials
Metal, Brass
Gracie Style Six Panel Chinoiserie Lacquered Wallpaper Screen
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Elegant six panel lacquered wallpaper screen made in the style and manner of Gracie. The screen is two-sided and depicts an idyllic flora and fauna l...
Category
20th Century Chinoiserie Screens and Room Dividers
Materials
Brass
19th Century French Chinoiserie Four Panel Giltwood Screen
Located in Houston, TX
A lovely 19th Century French giltwood folding screen painted in the Chinoiserie style and backed in silk.
Category
19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Screens and Room Dividers
Materials
Canvas, Silk, Wood, Giltwood
Monumental 10-Panel Coromandel Black Lacquer Folding Screen
Located in San Francisco, CA
Monumental 10-panel 10 foot tall coromandel black lacquered folding screen. One side depicting an elaborate bird landscape with a golden pheas...
Category
Mid-20th Century Hong Kong Chinoiserie Screens and Room Dividers
Materials
Brass
Large Antique Coromandel or Kuancai Lacquer Screen
Located in Richmond, London
A superbly decorative six-panel lacquered 'Coromandel' screen, exquisitely carved and hand-painted with oriental figures, flowers and exotic beasts on a dark brown background, in the traditional 17th century manner.
Late 19th – early 20th century.
Why we like it
We like its impressive proportions which make it perfect for a feature wall, and the exquisite quality of decoration. The subtlety of colours lends a 'soft' look to the piece. The central motif depicts a scene set in the gardens of a Han dynasty palace, while the outer borders are decorated with the “one hundred antiques” motif interspersed with floral arrangements. In this regard, the present screen not only conveys auspicious meanings but also demonstrate the owner’s fine scholarly taste.
History
The term 'Coromandel', which is used to describe this particular type of lacquer technique (kuancai), is rather misleading. In the 18th century it was used commercially to indicate the place from which these objects were shipped to England through the East India Companies, and had no reference to China, the place of their origin. Similarly, Chinese painted wallpaper was often called 'India paper' in historic documants.
The kuancai lacquer technique, literally meaning “cut out colour” and found almost exclusively on screens, emerged in the 16th century to serve the domestic market. The iconographic elements were carved through the built-up coats of dark lacquer and filled with pigments and gold. Seventeenth century examples usually consisted of twelve panels, and were often employed in entrance halls or as room dividers or windscreens for gardens and terraces. They were often commissioned as gifts and depicted court scenes, episodes from the world of the immortals, panoramic or landscape views and auspicious symbols. This type of lacquerware was flourishing during the reign of the Kangxi emperor (1662-1722) and saw a revival in the 19th century.
Stylistically the present screen may be compared with the twelve-panel lacquer screen from the Kangxi period in the Victoria and Albert Museum illustrated by W. De Kesel and G. Dhont in Coromandel Lacquer Screens, ill. 23, pps 36-37.
Such luxurious items were popular in England during the height of fashion for oriental exoticism, called chinoiserie in Europe. In the 20th century, Coromandel screens still remained a staple in the European interior design. Coco Chanel had a collection of 32 rare Coromandel screens, which she proudly displayed in her home at 31 Rue Cambom, Paris. She one...
Category
Early 20th Century Asian Chinoiserie Screens and Room Dividers
Materials
Wood, Lacquer
Double Sided Coromandel Chinoiserie Lacquer Five-Panel Screen, Paravent, 1890s
By Jean Dunand
Located in Biebergemund, Hessen
Exceptional double sided Chinoiserie hand-painted Coromandel screen, with a continuous scene over the panels. One side depicts a scene of the Forbidden City, and the other side shows...
Category
Mid-19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Screens and Room Dividers
Materials
Wood, Hardwood
Large Chinoiserie Chinese 6 Panel Figural Red Folding Screen Room Divider
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Large Chinoiserie Chinese 6 Panel Figural Red Folding Screen Room Divider. Item features a stunning dining scene with carved/raised details, burnished brass accents, and deep red lac...
Category
Late 20th Century Unknown Chinoiserie Screens and Room Dividers
Materials
Wood
Vintage Gilded Ganesha Carved Room Divider Doorway-A Pair
Located in Bensalem, PA
Exquisite pair of hand carved Ganesha gilded framed doorway or room dividers these are finished front and back with stunning detail they also stand on t...
Category
1970s Indian Vintage Chinoiserie Screens and Room Dividers
Materials
Wood, Giltwood
Chinese 4 Panel Coromandel Black Laquer Screen Room Divider
Located in Hopewell, NJ
Unusual and lovely 4 panel Asian black laquer screen where each panel is a different height. Beautiful carved and painted decoration of birds and dogwood flowering branches, front a...
Category
1950s Chinese Vintage Chinoiserie Screens and Room Dividers
Materials
Wood
Hand Painted Asian Screen
Located in Atlanta, GA
Hand painted Asian folding screen, probably Chinese, believed to be circa 1950s, possibly much earlier. It depicts two scholars playing a game un...
Category
1950s Chinese Vintage Chinoiserie Screens and Room Dividers
Materials
Fabric, Wood, Paper
Asian Black Lacquer Folding Screen or Room Divider
By James Mont
Located in Atlanta, GA
Asian black lacquer folding screen or room divider, probably Chinese, circa 1960s. It has been recently reupholstered in a black and white col...
Category
1960s Chinese Vintage Chinoiserie Screens and Room Dividers
Materials
Fabric, Wood
Chinese Mid-Century Gilded Coromandel Figural Folding Screen
Located in Chicago, IL
A large 6 panel Chinese Coromandel folding screen. This screen has a background that is primarily black lacquer. It features several building, clouds, figures, trees and birds.
...
Category
Mid-20th Century Chinese Chinoiserie Screens and Room Dividers
Materials
Wood, Lacquer, Paint
Antique Mother Of Pearl & Hand Painted Asian 4 Panel Privacy Screen
Located in Chicago, IL
Antique Mother of Pearl & Hand Painted Asian 4 Panel Privacy Screen
Divide your living room or bedroom space with this ornately decorated screen. The screen has been decorated with ...
Category
Early 20th Century Unknown Chinoiserie Screens and Room Dividers
Materials
Mother-of-Pearl
Hand-Painted Asian Screen, Eight Panels
Located in Bradenton, FL
Mid 20th Century hand-painted Asian Screen/Room Divider, Eight Panels. Features intricate artwork on a series of panels connected by hinges. Pain...
Category
Mid-20th Century Japanese Chinoiserie Screens and Room Dividers
Materials
Wood, Paper
Dutch Six Panel Chinoiserie Decorated Leather Screen
Located in Essex, MA
Tall grand scale with six panels with reds and greens on a black background. Decorated with pagodas and people doing a variety of whimsical things.
Category
1760s Dutch Antique Chinoiserie Screens and Room Dividers
Materials
Leather
4 part folding screen hand painted Japan 1960s
By Zhang Daqian
Located in Den Haag, NL
very nice 4 piece folding table screen .Japan Watercolor ,landscape
with some buffalo s en houses . signed .Nice bright colors .
Category
1960s Japanese Vintage Chinoiserie Screens and Room Dividers
Materials
Paper
Vintage Chinoiserie Hand-Painted Floral Four-Panel Folding Screen Divider
Located in Yonkers, NY
This vintage four-panel folding screen blends Victorian-inspired Chinoiserie charm with timeless elegance, where East meets West in a striking artistic expression. Hand-painted panel...
Category
Mid-20th Century Chinese Chinoiserie Screens and Room Dividers
Materials
Wood, Paper
FINE ANTIQUE ROOM DIVIDER TITLED IN CHINESE "MIDSUMMER PAiNTING OF XINWEI YEAR"
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
We are delighted to offer for sale this stunning hand made Oriental black lacquered and hand painted Chinese full sized room divider titled in Chinese "Midsummer Painting of Xinwei Y...
Category
1920s Chinese Vintage Chinoiserie Screens and Room Dividers
Materials
Lacquer
19th Century Painted & Gilt Decorated 4 Panel Screen
Located in Huntington, NY
19th Century4 Panel Painted & Gilt Decorated 4 Panel Screen
Category
Mid-19th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Screens and Room Dividers
Materials
Brass
Vintage Chinoiserie Silver Leaf Birds Butterflies 4 Panel Screen Room Divider B
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Vintage Chinoiserie Chinese Hand Painted Silver Leaf Large Birds and Butterflies 4 Panel Folding Screen Room Divider (B). Item feat...
Category
Mid-20th Century Chinoiserie Screens and Room Dividers
Materials
Wood
Signed Asian Coromandel Eight Panel Screen Expandable Room Divider
Located in West Hartford, CT
Magnificent Asian coromandel expandable room divider. Great scale with height of 94" and vivid colors throughout. Some age appropriate wear, see pics....
Category
Mid-20th Century Asian Chinoiserie Screens and Room Dividers
Materials
Wood
Large Heavy 19th Century Carved Chinoiserie 4 Fold Screen
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
Large Heavy 19th century Carved chinoiserie 4 Fold Screen
This very impressive privacy screen has four large and profusely carved panels, the design is of very many dragons and se...
Category
19th Century Antique Chinoiserie Screens and Room Dividers
Materials
Teak
Ebonized Chinoiserie Decorated Four Panel Landscape Screen with Garden, 20th C
Located in Big Flats, NY
An Asian style screen offers four Chinoiserie decorated ebonized panels with landscape scene having garden with tree, birds and pond, raised on square l...
Category
20th Century European Chinoiserie Screens and Room Dividers
Materials
Wood
Asian 4 Paneled Room Screen Divider
Located in Delray Beach, FL
Amazing Asian 4 paneled screen. Features hand painted depictions of herons wading in the brush.
Additional information:
Material: Brass, wood
Color: Black, gold, green, white
S...
Category
1980s Vintage Chinoiserie Screens and Room Dividers
Materials
Wood
Chinese Six-Panel Lacquer Screen
Located in Montreal, Quebec
Chinese six-panel lacquer screen.
This lovely and versatile screen is in the great style of Coco Chanel who loved to decorate with Coromandel s...
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinoiserie Screens and Room Dividers
Materials
Wood
Chinese Double Sided Black Lacquered and Decorated 5 Fold Floor Screen
Located in Germantown, MD
A Chinese Double Sided Black Lacquered and Decorated 5 Fold Floor Screen in great vintage condition. Fine decorations on both sides. Measures 90" in width and stands 72" in height. E...
Category
Late 20th Century Hong Kong Chinoiserie Screens and Room Dividers
Materials
Wood, Lacquer
Four Panel Folding Screen Modern Asian Chinoiserie Tall Green Hand Carved
Located in Topeka, KS
Lovely vintage Modern Asian Chinoiserie extra tall green four panel hand carved & painted folding screen. Comprised of relief carved wood designs with hand painted details with gloss...
Category
Late 20th Century Chinese Chinoiserie Screens and Room Dividers
Materials
Brass, Metal
19th Century Bamboo Chinoiserie Screen Room Divider, England, C.1860
Located in London, GB
A 19th Century Anglo-Chinese three fold bamboo screen with later added botanical painted leatherette panels dating from C.1920. Finished in brass detailing with filigree fretwork top...
Category
Mid-19th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Screens and Room Dividers
Materials
Brass
Chinoiserie Wood Screen Room Dividers, Pair
Located in Southampton, NJ
We can't say enough about the uniqueness, possibilities & practical qualities of our Chinese screen room dividers. Suitable for use on the floor or countertop to create an aesthetica...
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinoiserie Screens and Room Dividers
Materials
Wood
Boho Chic Oriental 4 Panel Screen White Distress Painted Wooden Room Divider
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Boho Chic Oriental 4 Panel Screen White Distress Painted Wooden Room Divider. Item features four sections, unique figures, carved backside, later a...
Category
Late 20th Century Unknown Chinoiserie Screens and Room Dividers
Materials
Wood
Red and Gold Chinoiserie Three Panel Screen
Located in Queens, NY
Red folding screen comprised of three panels framed in gold lattice patterns, topped with oval medallions featuring bouquets, and painted with tradi...
Category
Mid-20th Century Chinoiserie Screens and Room Dividers
Materials
Wood
Unusual Eight Panel Chinese Coromandel Screen circa 1700-1800 with Carved Frame
Located in Manhasset, NY
Chinese Coromandel Screen, 18th Century, Rosewood, 8 Panel, Painted, Figural, Depicting Flying Geese
One of a kind. Chinese Coromandel screen from the late 1700s with a fabulous ros...
Category
Mid-19th Century Chinese Antique Chinoiserie Screens and Room Dividers
Materials
Rosewood
Vintage Regency Gracie Style Upholstered Three Panel Screen
Located in west palm beach, FL
Add a touch of timeless elegance to your space with this Vintage Regency Gracie Style Upholstered Three Panel Screen. Featuring a vibrant botanical and bird motif set against a strik...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Chinoiserie Screens and Room Dividers
Materials
Brass
Black Lacquer Oriental Fire Screen, Painted with Flamingos
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
Black Lacquer Oriental Fire Screen, Painted with Flamingos
A superb black Lacquer Chinoiserie Fire Screen, with a velvet panel painted with F...
Category
19th Century Antique Chinoiserie Screens and Room Dividers
Materials
Velvet
Fine 19th C English Black Lacquered and Raised 6 Panel Screen Greek Key
Located in Dallas, TX
A fine 19th century English black lacquered Chinoiserie decorated 6 panel screen. Greek key design with scenes of figures and animals. Raised detail.
Category
Late 19th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Screens and Room Dividers
Materials
Lacquer
Chinoiserie screens and room dividers for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique Chinoiserie screens and room dividers for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage screens and room dividers created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include more furniture and collectibles, asian art and furniture, wall decorations and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with wood, lacquer and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Chinoiserie screens and room dividers made in a specific country, there are Asia, China, and East Asia pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original screens and room dividers, popular names associated with this style include Robert Crowder, Jacky Puzey, and Mingyu Xu Studio. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for screens and room dividers differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $495 and tops out at $60,000 while the average work can sell for $3,595.