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.
1910s Japanese Vintage Japonisme Furniture
Enamel
2010s Italian Japonisme Furniture
Fabric, Paper
2010s Turkish Japonisme Furniture
Oak
Mid-20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Wool
Mid-20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Iron
Mid-20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Silk
Early 1900s Japanese Antique Japonisme Furniture
Bamboo, Lacquer
Late 20th Century Japonisme Furniture
Wood
1940s American Vintage Japonisme Furniture
Giltwood, Paper
1920s Japanese Vintage Japonisme Furniture
Velvet, Wood
Early 1900s Belgian Antique Japonisme Furniture
Bronze
2010s Turkish Japonisme Furniture
Oak, Plywood
2010s Turkish Japonisme Furniture
Oak
2010s Italian Japonisme Furniture
Silver
2010s Italian Japonisme Furniture
Silver
Early 20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Brocade, Silk
19th Century Japanese Antique Japonisme Furniture
Bronze
2010s Asian Japonisme Furniture
Glass, Wood, Oak, Plywood
1970s French Vintage Japonisme Furniture
Gold
Early 20th Century Japonisme Furniture
Brass
Late 19th Century American Antique Japonisme Furniture
Sheet Metal, Wire
Mid-20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Ceramic
1890s Japanese Antique Japonisme Furniture
Porcelain
19th Century French Antique Japonisme Furniture
Boxwood
20th Century American Japonisme Furniture
Stone
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Ceramic
Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Japonisme Furniture
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Ceramic
Mid-19th Century Japanese Antique Japonisme Furniture
Bronze
1960s Japanese Vintage Japonisme Furniture
Rattan
1890s French Antique Japonisme Furniture
Art Glass
Late 20th Century Danish Japonisme Furniture
Pottery, Clay, Ceramic
1880s Belgian Antique Japonisme Furniture
Earthenware
Late 19th Century French Antique Japonisme Furniture
Faience
Mid-19th Century Japanese Antique Japonisme Furniture
Brass
Early 20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Metal
Late 20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Bronze
2010s Asian Japonisme Furniture
Wood, Elm
2010s Turkish Japonisme Furniture
Oak
2010s Asian Japonisme Furniture
Wood, Elm
1960s Japanese Vintage Japonisme Furniture
Rattan
20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Cotton, Silk
1870s French Antique Japonisme Furniture
Crystal, Bronze
Mid-20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Silk, Paper
Mid-20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Silk
1960s Japanese Vintage Japonisme Furniture
Rattan
2010s Asian Japonisme Furniture
Glass, Wood, Oak, Plywood
Late 20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Bronze
Mid-20th Century Japonisme Furniture
Paper
2010s Asian Japonisme Furniture
Wood, Oak, Plywood
2010s Asian Japonisme Furniture
Wood, Elm
2010s Asian Japonisme Furniture
Wood, Elm
Mid-20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Silk
20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Wood
Mid-20th Century American Japonisme Furniture
Gold Leaf
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Japonisme Furniture
Silk
Mid-18th Century Japanese Antique Japonisme Furniture
Boxwood
1880s American Antique Japonisme Furniture
Sterling Silver, Copper