Japonisme More Furniture and Collectibles
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.
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Japonisme More Furniture and Collectibles
Silk
Late 19th Century French Antique Japonisme More Furniture and Collectibles
Mirror, Bamboo
1930s Japanese Vintage Japonisme More Furniture and Collectibles
Wood
1880s French Antique Japonisme More Furniture and Collectibles
Fabric, Wood, Walnut
Late 20th Century Japanese Japonisme More Furniture and Collectibles
Paper
1870s French Antique Japonisme More Furniture and Collectibles
Wood
Late 19th Century American Antique Japonisme More Furniture and Collectibles
Sheet Metal, Wire
Mid-20th Century Japonisme More Furniture and Collectibles
Paper
1960s Japanese Vintage Japonisme More Furniture and Collectibles
Tin
Early 20th Century Japanese Japonisme More Furniture and Collectibles
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Japonisme More Furniture and Collectibles
Silk
Late 19th Century French Antique Japonisme More Furniture and Collectibles
Bamboo, Mirror
1890s French Antique Japonisme More Furniture and Collectibles
Birdseye Maple
1950s Vintage Japonisme More Furniture and Collectibles
Art Glass
1920s Japanese Vintage Japonisme More Furniture and Collectibles
Bronze
1920s Japanese Vintage Japonisme More Furniture and Collectibles
Bronze
Late 20th Century Japanese Japonisme More Furniture and Collectibles
Wood
Early 20th Century Japonisme More Furniture and Collectibles
Copper
1920s Japanese Vintage Japonisme More Furniture and Collectibles
Wood
Mid-20th Century Japanese Japonisme More Furniture and Collectibles
Hardwood, Mother-of-Pearl, Abalone
1880s French Antique Japonisme More Furniture and Collectibles
Zinc
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Japonisme More Furniture and Collectibles
Paper
1980s Italian Vintage Japonisme More Furniture and Collectibles
Silver
Early 20th Century Japanese Japonisme More Furniture and Collectibles
Metal
Late 20th Century Hungarian Japonisme More Furniture and Collectibles
Wool, Cotton
1970s French Vintage Japonisme More Furniture and Collectibles
Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Japonisme More Furniture and Collectibles
Silk, Polyester
21st Century and Contemporary American Japonisme More Furniture and Collectibles
Linen
Late 20th Century Japanese Japonisme More Furniture and Collectibles
Paper
Early 20th Century Japanese Japonisme More Furniture and Collectibles
Iron
Early 20th Century Japanese Japonisme More Furniture and Collectibles
Silver
Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Japonisme More Furniture and Collectibles
Abalone, Lacquer
20th Century American Japonisme More Furniture and Collectibles
Paper
Mid-20th Century Japanese Japonisme More Furniture and Collectibles
Abalone, Hardwood, Mother-of-Pearl
Early 20th Century European Japonisme More Furniture and Collectibles
Metal, Enamel
Mid-20th Century American Japonisme More Furniture and Collectibles
Linen, Textile
16th Century Japanese Antique Japonisme More Furniture and Collectibles
Wood, Lacquer
Early 20th Century French Japonisme More Furniture and Collectibles
Paper
Late 19th Century French Antique Japonisme More Furniture and Collectibles
Canvas, Giltwood
Mid-20th Century Japanese Japonisme More Furniture and Collectibles
Paper