Japonisme Vitrines
JAPONISME STYLE
In the late 19th and early 20th century, France developed an enduring passion for Japanese aesthetics and craftsmanship. Not only did this interpretation of Japanese culture — which became known as Japonisme — infuse fresh energy into French art and design, but it also radically transformed how Europeans, and subsequently the world, would come to understand visual culture.
Until 1853, Japan had been closely guarded against foreign visitors for over two centuries. However, American Commodore Matthew C. Perry sailed into Japan that year and initiated the first of its treaties with the United States and Europe, thereby opening its borders and giving the West its first-ever look at Japanese design.
For the next few decades, taken with Japonisme, sophisticated collectors in Paris, New York and elsewhere gorged themselves on lacquered screens, celadon ceramics and netsuke ornaments, along with artworks depicting various aspects of Japanese life. The East Asian country’s influence on Europe, particularly France, contributed to one of the most creatively prosperous periods in history, leaving an imprint on the Impressionist, Art Nouveau and Art Deco movements, and inspiring artists like Edgar Degas, Mary Cassatt, Vincent van Gogh as well as luxury houses such as Louis Vuitton and Hermès. Japonisme emerged at the time when the ornate Renaissance Revival style was the most prominent mode of decorating in Europe, and Japanese aesthetics seemed strikingly modern and elegant in comparison.
In addition to everyday practical objects from Japan, such as vases, tableware and decorative boxes, Japanese art, especially Japanese woodblock prints by masters of the ukiyo-e school, caught the eye of many artists — particularly those in the Art Nouveau poster community in 1880s Paris. The luscious organic colors associated with traditional Japanese design, motifs like cherry blossoms and carp and the vivid patterns found in woodblock prints, silks and more were adopted and appropriated by painters as well as ceramicists and those working in other fields of the decorative arts. Today, demand for Japanese lacquerware — furniture, trays, writing boxes, screens, incense burners — from the Edo period (1615–1868) and the late 19th century continues to be very strong among collectors.
Find a collection of antique Japonisme furniture and decorative objects on 1stDibs.
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Style: Japonisme
Japonisme Mother of Pearl Inlaid Hardwood Display Cabinet after Viardot
Located in London, GB
This wonderful display cabinet is designed in a ‘Japonisme’ (Japanese) style, which was popular in Europe in the mid-late 19th century. This craze was kick-started by Japan reopening to trade with the West, and exporting Japanese goods—including furniture and decorative art—to Europe. One craftsmen by the name of Gabriel Viardot (1830-1906) established a name for himself in France producing Chinese and Japanese style furniture...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Japonisme Vitrines
Materials
Metal
"Japonisme" Vitrine Attributed to A. Giroux, France, Circa 1880
Located in PARIS, FR
Rare aesthetic movement showcase, opening in its upper part by two beveled glass doors framed by brass moldings, in its lower part by two door panels in carved walnut decorated with blooming branches and gilded bronze ornaments representing dragons and birds. The sides are carved, like wicker woven.
This showcase is topped by an important carved and gilded walnut cornice depicting a Fô Dog in its center, with a protective power, and rests on elephant head with overtuned trunk shaped feet.
This type of elephant head with overtuned trunk shaped feet is a characteristic of the Maison Giroux, which can be found on many objects they produced. Aesthetic movement cabinet, signed Maison Alphonse Giroux...
Category
1880s French Antique Japonisme Vitrines
Materials
Bronze
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Previously Available Items
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Openwork pediment and base.
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Aesthetic Movement Vitrine G. Viardot
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East Asian Style Wooden Display Cabinet with Gilt Bronze Mounts
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This display cabinet is designed in the East Asian style, which was popular in France in the 19th century. It has been crafted from beechwood, and painted with a glaze to make it imitate the finish on Chinese and Japanese furniture.
The cabinet is topped by a roof, which flicks up at its ends, in a manner characteristic of East Asian architecture. The roof features a small, enclosed space at its centre, which is flanked by two gilt bronze mounts, one taking the form of a crane, the other a dog of Pho (Chinese guardian lion).
Below, the cabinet body has been divided into four compartments. The top left section features a display case, consisting of three shelves, set within a velvet-lined interior, behind a glazed door. The case frame is decorated with gilt bronze cranes and dragons. On the top right, there is a marble-faced drawer, topped by an arched shelf, which is ornamented with pierced, circular forms, and a small gilt bronze dragon. This is, in turn, surmounted by two miniature posts, which support a flat roof.
On the bottom left, there are three tall vertical shelves, topped by a small horizontal shelf, above of which is a marble-faced drawer. The lower, right-hand compartment consists of three shelves, which span the entire width of the space, and one smaller, half-length shelf, which curls up at its end. Unlike the upper-left shelves, this compartment is open on two sides, and is contained behind arched profiles. The spandrels of the front arch are mounted with two gilt bronze cranes.
A pierced apron runs along the bottom of the cabinet, and is mounted, on its front, with a gilt bronze dragon. The cabinet stands on four scrolling feet, the front two of which have been given gilt bronze mounts, cast as lions’ feet.
In its East Asian style, this piece was clearly inspired by the work of Gabriel Viardot (1830-1906). Viardot was a successful French cabinetmaker who worked in Chinese and Japanese styles. His furniture was fashionable in 19th Century Europe, and it continues to be highly collectable today. This cabinet offers a unique opportunity to own an antique, Viardot style...
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Baccarat Paris, a French Bronze and Glass Table Vitrine Box Cabinet, circa 1880
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Japonisme vitrines for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique Japonisme vitrines for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 19th Century, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage vitrines created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include case pieces and storage cabinets, asian art and furniture and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with wood, glass and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Japonisme vitrines made in a specific country, there are Europe, and France pieces for sale on 1stDibs. 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 vitrines differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $7,294 and tops out at $71,429 while the average work can sell for $10,129.