Chinoiserie Prints
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.
1860s English Antique Chinoiserie Prints
Paper
1840s English Antique Chinoiserie Prints
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1830s English Antique Chinoiserie Prints
Faux Bamboo, Paper
Mid-20th Century Chinoiserie Prints
Faux Bamboo, Wood, Paper
Early 19th Century British Antique Chinoiserie Prints
Wood, Paper
Late 20th Century Chinoiserie Prints
Paper
Early 1800s English Antique Chinoiserie Prints
Paper
1830s English Antique Chinoiserie Prints
Paper
1980s American Vintage Chinoiserie Prints
Metal
1830s English Antique Chinoiserie Prints
Paper
1860s English Antique Chinoiserie Prints
Paper
Early 1900s English Antique Chinoiserie Prints
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Early 1900s English Antique Chinoiserie Prints
Paper
1960s American Vintage Chinoiserie Prints
Bronze, Enamel, Pewter
Early 18th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Prints
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Early 1800s English Antique Chinoiserie Prints
Paper
Late 20th Century American Chinoiserie Prints
Paper
Late 20th Century English Chinoiserie Prints
Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Chinoiserie Prints
Wood, Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Chinoiserie Prints
Wood, Paper
Late 19th Century Antique Chinoiserie Prints
Paper
Mid-19th Century Antique Chinoiserie Prints
Paper
18th Century and Earlier French Antique Chinoiserie Prints
20th Century Chinoiserie Prints
Paper
21st Century and Contemporary French Chinoiserie Prints
Gold Leaf
20th Century American Chinoiserie Prints
Metal
20th Century American Chinoiserie Prints
Glass, Hardwood, Paper
Late 20th Century French Chinoiserie Prints
Paper
Mid-19th Century Antique Chinoiserie Prints
Paper
Mid-19th Century Antique Chinoiserie Prints
Paper
Early 19th Century Antique Chinoiserie Prints
Paper
Mid-19th Century Antique Chinoiserie Prints
Paper
1830s English Antique Chinoiserie Prints
Faux Bamboo, Paper
20th Century American Chinoiserie Prints
Faux Bamboo, Wood, Paper
20th Century Chinese Chinoiserie Prints
Paper
1830s English Antique Chinoiserie Prints
Faux Bamboo, Paper
19th Century Japanese Antique Chinoiserie Prints
Wood, Paper
20th Century Chinoiserie Prints
Giltwood
Mid-19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Prints
Paper
Late 20th Century Saint Lucian Chinoiserie Prints
Fabric, Silk, Faux Bamboo, Glass, Wood, Paint
1850s English Antique Chinoiserie Prints
Faux Bamboo, Paper
1880s English Antique Chinoiserie Prints
Paper, Wood
1830s English Antique Chinoiserie Prints
Faux Bamboo, Paper
1960s American Vintage Chinoiserie Prints
Bronze, Enamel, Pewter