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.
Mid-20th Century Asian Japonisme Furniture
Wood, Paint
Late 18th Century Japanese Antique Japonisme Furniture
Bronze
1980s Japanese Vintage Japonisme Furniture
Wood, Paint
Late 19th Century English Antique Japonisme Furniture
Bamboo
21st Century and Contemporary Danish Japonisme Furniture
Steel
Mid-20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Brass
1890s English Antique Japonisme Furniture
Ceramic, Porcelain
19th Century Italian Antique Japonisme Furniture
Shell, Wood
19th Century American Antique Japonisme Furniture
Sterling Silver
1870s English Antique Japonisme Furniture
Ironstone
Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Japonisme Furniture
Iron
1980s Japanese Vintage Japonisme Furniture
Ceramic
Early 1900s German Antique Japonisme Furniture
Stoneware
1950s Japanese Vintage Japonisme Furniture
Bronze
1950s Japanese Vintage Japonisme Furniture
Bronze
Mid-19th Century English Antique Japonisme Furniture
Silver Plate
Mid-20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Iron
1970s Japanese Vintage Japonisme Furniture
Wood, Paint
19th Century French Antique Japonisme Furniture
Ivory, Softwood
1880s French Antique Japonisme Furniture
Crystal, Bronze, Enamel
1880s Japanese Antique Japonisme Furniture
Mahogany
1920s Japanese Vintage Japonisme Furniture
Wood
Mid-19th Century English Antique Japonisme Furniture
Porcelain
Mid-20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Plastic
1880s German Antique Japonisme Furniture
Paint, Canvas
2010s Turkish Japonisme Furniture
Canvas, Oak, Plywood
1870s French Antique Japonisme Furniture
Faience
1960s Japanese Vintage Japonisme Furniture
Porcelain
1890s Japanese Antique Japonisme Furniture
Porcelain
1890s Japanese Antique Japonisme Furniture
Ceramic
Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Japonisme Furniture
Enamel
1870s English Antique Japonisme Furniture
Porcelain
Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Japonisme Furniture
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Japonisme Furniture
Iron
Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Japonisme Furniture
Abalone, Lacquer
Early 20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Bronze
1890s Japanese Antique Japonisme Furniture
Textile, Lucite
1880s Scottish Antique Japonisme Furniture
Paper
20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Ceramic, Porcelain, Paint
Late 19th Century Hungarian Antique Japonisme Furniture
Bronze
Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Japonisme Furniture
Silver, Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Wood
1910s South Korean Vintage Japonisme Furniture
Porcelain
20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Silk
2010s Asian Japonisme Furniture
Wood, Oak, Plywood
Early 20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Bronze
Early 20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Enamel
1920s Japanese Vintage Japonisme Furniture
Wood, Lacquer
Mid-20th Century Japonisme Furniture
Tin
1940s Japanese Vintage Japonisme Furniture
Wood
20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Wood
Mid-19th Century Japanese Antique Japonisme Furniture
Porcelain
19th Century Japanese Antique Japonisme Furniture
Lacquer
2010s Turkish Japonisme Furniture
Wood, Plywood, Oak
1910s Japanese Vintage Japonisme Furniture
Pottery
1890s Japanese Antique Japonisme Furniture
Porcelain
Late 19th Century French Antique Japonisme Furniture
Mirror, Bamboo
2010s Turkish Japonisme Furniture
Aluminum
1940s French Vintage Japonisme Furniture
Faience
Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Japonisme Furniture
Brass, Wrought Iron