Chinoiserie Contemporary Art
Emerging in the 17th century, chinoiserie appropriated the aesthetics and imagery of popular East Asian design for European-made versions. Reflecting the exoticization of China, Japan and other countries in this era, the word directly translates from French to “Chinese-esque,” which reveals its shortcomings as a style of furniture and decor that often stereotypically and reductively mimics Asian culture rather than showcasing and paying tribute to its artistic traditions.
The enthusiastically decorative chinoiserie style was propelled by influential tastemakers including French King Louis XIV, whose Trianon de Porcelaine in 1670 was inspired by Chinese architecture. Expanded trade between the East and West led to a demand for porcelain, lacquer objects, silk and other goods, which further informed the fanciful furniture being crafted in Europe.
Artisans working in the chinoiserie style used materials and elements like pagoda shapes, bamboo, lacquer surfaces, bird and flower motifs and other interpretations of Asian design on pieces that were frequently set against vibrant wallcoverings. This whimsical approach yielded chinoiserie furniture that boasted dramatic flourishes drawing on the natural world and reflected the dominance of Rococo during the 18th century.
As chinoiserie was shaped by approximations of Asian design by European creators, it had regional variations, such as Chinese Chippendale in England where cabinets, chairs and tea tables had wooden fretwork designs and “japanned” surfaces intended to resemble lacquer work that was created in East Asia. In North America, furniture makers in Boston and New York integrated chinoiserie-painted scenes into Queen Anne furniture.
Antique chinoiserie furniture has continued to be fashionable, from its popularity with decorators of the Hollywood Regency era — James Mont, Tommi Parzinger, William Haines and Samuel Marx favored the style — to contemporary interior designers, although it brings with it a complex history.
Find a collection of chinoiserie bedroom furniture, cabinets, decorative objects and more on 1stDibs.
21st Century and Contemporary Chinoiserie Contemporary Art
Wood, Paper
Late 20th Century Chinoiserie Contemporary Art
Lacquer, Paint
2010s Chinoiserie Contemporary Art
Feathers
1960s American Vintage Chinoiserie Contemporary Art
Steel
1990s Guatemalan Chinoiserie Contemporary Art
Masonite, Lacquer
1930s French Vintage Chinoiserie Contemporary Art
Wood, Paper
18th Century Italian Antique Chinoiserie Contemporary Art
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Chinoiserie Contemporary Art
Resin
2010s Chinoiserie Contemporary Art
Feathers
Early 20th Century European Chinoiserie Contemporary Art
Paint, Canvas, Wood
2010s Chinoiserie Contemporary Art
Feathers
1960s American Vintage Chinoiserie Contemporary Art
Canvas, Paper
1980s German Vintage Chinoiserie Contemporary Art
Porcelain
20th Century American Chinoiserie Contemporary Art
Wood, Paint, Paper
20th Century American Chinoiserie Contemporary Art
Canvas, Lacquer, Wood