Japonisme Furniture
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.
1870s French Antique Japonisme Furniture
Bronze, Enamel
Early 20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Hardwood
20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Bronze
1980s French Vintage Japonisme Furniture
Acrylic, Beech
1880s French Antique Japonisme Furniture
Bronze
19th Century Japanese Antique Japonisme Furniture
Bronze
Early 1900s Belgian Antique Japonisme Furniture
Bronze
Late 19th Century American Antique Japonisme Furniture
Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century Japonisme Furniture
Brass
Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Japonisme Furniture
Bronze
18th Century Japanese Antique Japonisme Furniture
Leather
Mid-20th Century Spanish Japonisme Furniture
Ceramic
Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Japonisme Furniture
Silver
1880s English Antique Japonisme Furniture
Porcelain
Mid-20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Wood
Mid-20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Wool
Mid-20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Silk
1890s Japanese Antique Japonisme Furniture
Porcelain
19th Century French Antique Japonisme Furniture
Boxwood
Late 20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Bronze
Late 19th Century French Antique Japonisme Furniture
Faience
1890s French Antique Japonisme Furniture
Art Glass
19th Century Japanese Antique Japonisme Furniture
Wood, Paper
1880s Belgian Antique Japonisme Furniture
Earthenware
1960s Japanese Vintage Japonisme Furniture
Rattan
Mid-20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Silk, Paper
Late 19th Century American Antique Japonisme Furniture
Sheet Metal, Wire
Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Japonisme Furniture
Brass
Mid-19th Century Japanese Antique Japonisme Furniture
Bronze
1870s French Antique Japonisme Furniture
Crystal, Bronze
19th Century Japanese Antique Japonisme Furniture
Bronze
20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Silk
Late 18th Century Japanese Antique Japonisme Furniture
Wood, Lacquer
Mid-20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Silk, Linen
Early 20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Metal
1880s American Antique Japonisme Furniture
Sterling Silver, Copper
1960s Japanese Vintage Japonisme Furniture
Rattan
20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Wood
1960s Japanese Vintage Japonisme Furniture
Rattan
Late 20th Century American Japonisme Furniture
Paint
20th Century German Japonisme Furniture
Bamboo, Wicker, Parchment Paper
Mid-20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century American Japonisme Furniture
Gold Leaf
Early 1900s Japanese Antique Japonisme Furniture
Bamboo, Lacquer
Late 19th Century English Antique Japonisme Furniture
Faience, Ceramic
1940s American Vintage Japonisme Furniture
Giltwood, Paper
Early 1900s Japanese Antique Japonisme Furniture
Marble
20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Metal
Late 20th Century Japonisme Furniture
Metal
Late 20th Century Danish Japonisme Furniture
Pottery, Clay, Ceramic
1980s Portuguese Vintage Japonisme Furniture
Porcelain
Mid-20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Ceramic
Mid-18th Century Japanese Antique Japonisme Furniture
Lacquer
Late 19th Century French Antique Japonisme Furniture
Alabaster, Bronze
Early 20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Pottery
Mid-18th Century Japanese Antique Japonisme Furniture
Boxwood
Late 20th Century Japonisme Furniture
Porcelain
Early 20th Century French Japonisme Furniture
Brass