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.
1980s Japanese Vintage Japonisme Furniture
Bamboo, Cane
1970s Italian Vintage Japonisme Furniture
Cut Glass, Beech
1970s German Vintage Japonisme Furniture
Bamboo, Paper, Rope
1980s Japanese Vintage Japonisme Furniture
Porcelain
1970s Japanese Vintage Japonisme Furniture
Brass
Late 20th Century Japonisme Furniture
Porcelain
Late 20th Century Japonisme Furniture
Elm
1970s Japanese Vintage Japonisme Furniture
Granite
1990s American Japonisme Furniture
Ceramic, Clay
Late 20th Century Japonisme Furniture
Enamel
Late 20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Paper
1990s Japonisme Furniture
Wood
Late 20th Century Japonisme Furniture
Silk
Late 20th Century Japonisme Furniture
Porcelain
Late 20th Century Japonisme Furniture
Glass
1980s French Vintage Japonisme Furniture
Acrylic, Beech
Late 20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Bronze
Late 20th Century Japonisme Furniture
Metal
Late 20th Century American Japonisme Furniture
Paint
Late 20th Century Danish Japonisme Furniture
Pottery, Clay, Ceramic
1980s Portuguese Vintage Japonisme Furniture
Porcelain
Late 20th Century Japonisme Furniture
Ceramic, Fabric, Plastic
Late 20th Century Japonisme Furniture
Porcelain
Late 20th Century Chinese Japonisme Furniture
Porcelain
1980s French Vintage Japonisme Furniture
Enamel
1980s Japanese Vintage Japonisme Furniture
Maple
Late 20th Century Japonisme Furniture
Porcelain, Fabric, Hardwood
Late 20th Century Japonisme Furniture
Porcelain
Late 20th Century Japonisme Furniture
Wood
Late 20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Bronze
1970s American Vintage Japonisme Furniture
Mirror, Wood, Paint
1970s German Vintage Japonisme Furniture
Bamboo, Paper
Late 20th Century Japonisme Furniture
Porcelain
Late 20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Paint, Paper
1990s Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Bamboo
1980s Japanese Vintage Japonisme Furniture
Porcelain
1970s German Vintage Japonisme Furniture
Porcelain
1980s Austrian Vintage Japonisme Furniture
Bronze
Late 20th Century American Japonisme Furniture
Sterling Silver
1970s French Vintage Japonisme Furniture
Porcelain
Late 20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Wood
1970s Japanese Vintage Japonisme Furniture
Abalone, Wood
1970s French Vintage Japonisme Furniture
Gold
Late 20th Century Japonisme Furniture
Ceramic
Late 20th Century Japonisme Furniture
Porcelain
Late 20th Century Japonisme Furniture
Pottery
Late 20th Century Japonisme Furniture
Pottery
Late 20th Century Japonisme Furniture
Pottery
Late 20th Century Japonisme Furniture
Ceramic
1970s Vintage Japonisme Furniture
Glass, Oak
1970s French Vintage Japonisme Furniture
Glass, Wood
Late 20th Century English Japonisme Furniture
Porcelain
1980s Japanese Vintage Japonisme Furniture
Porcelain
Late 20th Century Japonisme Furniture
Silk, Paint
Late 20th Century American Japonisme Furniture
Ceramic
1980s Italian Vintage Japonisme Furniture
Silver
Late 20th Century Hungarian Japonisme Furniture
Wool, Cotton
1980s Japanese Vintage Japonisme Furniture
Paper