Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Expanded trade between Europe and East Asia, starting in the 16th century, led to a booming market for exported goods, particularly furniture. This was bolstered by the establishment of the Dutch and English East India Companies at the beginning of the 17th century. From folding screens and chairs to lacquer tables and silver, Chinese Export furniture was in demand and regularly copied and imitated, leading to styles like chinoiserie and Chinese Chippendale.
The expansion of exporting that had strengthened the arts during the Ming dynasty continued into the Qing dynasty era — Chinese designers made many furniture pieces specifically for export, resulting in distinctive designs that mixed traditional techniques with forms appealing to foreign buyers. For instance, cabinetmakers in Canton (modern-day Guangzhou) were prolific in crafting hardwood furniture for export in European styles that involved the expert joinery techniques of Chinese furniture. Designs for Chinese Export porcelain, cabinets, decorative objects and other furniture were often more ornately adorned than they would be for a local audience, such as with mother-of-pearl overlays or surfaces featuring lavish pictorial scenes or gold on black motifs. Some were even commissioned by wealthy European families to be adorned with their coat of arms.
Because lacquer furniture was especially prized, and the resin used to create it was difficult to import as it would harden during the long voyage, artisans in China and Japan exported numerous lacquer pieces. Long before lacquer made its way to Japan, the Chinese treated the material differently. They used it to create smooth, glossy surfaces, but also for carving, an art that began in the 12th century and is exclusively Chinese. These pieces are called cinnabar lacquer after the powdered mercury sulfide (cinnabar) employed to produce their characteristic red hue. A popular form for export was a compact cabinet with drawers, usually displayed on a small table. Undecorated furniture built in Europe was also shipped to China to be lacquered. The international exchange of design would influence furniture into the 19th century and later, informing styles such as Art Deco and Art Nouveau.
Find a collection of antique Chinese Export tables, beds, cupboards, table lamps and more furniture on 1stDibs.
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Silk, Plexiglass, Wood, Paper
20th Century American Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Faux Bamboo, Paint, Paper
Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Silk, Wood
Early 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Glass, Wood, Giltwood, Lacquer, Paint
Late 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Mother-of-Pearl, Lacquer
19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Silk
21st Century and Contemporary Chinese Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Silk
1840s English Antique Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Glass, Giltwood, Paper
Late 20th Century American Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Silk, Giltwood, Paint
19th Century Japanese Antique Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Paper
Early 20th Century Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Glass, Wood
Mid-19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Paper
1850s Hong Kong Antique Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Canvas
Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Giltwood, Paper
Mid-19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Paper
Early 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Wood
Mid-20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Paper
Early 20th Century Asian Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Paper, Paint
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Mother-of-Pearl, Wood
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Soapstone, Brass
Mid-19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Silk
Late 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Wood
19th Century Japanese Antique Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Paper
Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Silk
Mid-20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Silk
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Bamboo, Wood
19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Lacquer
1920s Mongolian Vintage Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Cotton, Silk
Early 18th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Enamel
Early 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Paper
1890s Hong Kong Antique Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Canvas
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Porcelain
1920s Chinese Vintage Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Silk
Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Wood
Early 18th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Paper
Mid-20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Porcelain
Mid-20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Porcelain
Early 20th Century Tibetan Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Wool
Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Paint
19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Silk, Giltwood
Early 1900s Chinese Antique Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Wood
19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Paint
Mid-20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Paper
19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Linen, Silk, Wood
19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Silk, Giltwood
Early 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Silk
Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Hardwood, Paper
Mid-19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Paper
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Wood
Mid-20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Porcelain, Rosewood, Paint
19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Art Glass
Late 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Silk, Glass, Wood
19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Silk, Giltwood
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Glass, Wood, Walnut, Paper
19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Giltwood, Silk
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Glass, Wood, Paper
Mid-20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Wood
Mid-20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Copper
Early 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinese Export Wall Decorations
Glass