Japonisme Cabinets
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.
1880s Vietnamese Antique Japonisme Cabinets
Bronze
1880s Vietnamese Antique Japonisme Cabinets
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Japonisme Cabinets
Teak
Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Japonisme Cabinets
Iron
Early 20th Century Japanese Japonisme Cabinets
Brass
Early 1900s Japanese Antique Japonisme Cabinets
Iron
2010s Asian Japonisme Cabinets
Wood, Elm
2010s Asian Japonisme Cabinets
Wood, Elm
2010s Asian Japonisme Cabinets
Wood, Elm
2010s Asian Japonisme Cabinets
Wood, Elm
Early 1900s Japanese Antique Japonisme Cabinets
Brass
1950s French Vintage Japonisme Cabinets
Gold
19th Century English Antique Japonisme Cabinets
Metal
1970s Vintage Japonisme Cabinets
Glass, Oak
19th Century English Antique Japonisme Cabinets
Stone
Late 19th Century English Antique Japonisme Cabinets
Bamboo
Late 19th Century Belgian Antique Japonisme Cabinets
Onyx, Ormolu
1880s French Antique Japonisme Cabinets
Wood, Paint
19th Century Japanese Antique Japonisme Cabinets
Iron
Early 20th Century Japanese Japonisme Cabinets
Brass
19th Century Unknown Antique Japonisme Cabinets
Bamboo, Rosewood
1970s Chinese Vintage Japonisme Cabinets
Gold, Brass
1880s Korean Antique Japonisme Cabinets
Brass
1940s German Vintage Japonisme Cabinets
Walnut
Late 19th Century American Antique Japonisme Cabinets
Walnut, Wood
1880s French Antique Japonisme Cabinets
Rosewood
1880s Danish Antique Japonisme Cabinets
Mahogany
19th Century Chinese Antique Japonisme Cabinets
Wood
Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Japonisme Cabinets
Wood
Late 19th Century Belgian Antique Japonisme Cabinets
Oak
Mid-20th Century Thai Japonisme Cabinets
Bronze
1890s Danish Antique Japonisme Cabinets
Pine
20th Century Japanese Japonisme Cabinets
Wood, Cedar
1980s Vintage Japonisme Cabinets
Lacquer
Late 19th Century French Antique Japonisme Cabinets
Bamboo, Wood, Glass
Mid-19th Century Japanese Antique Japonisme Cabinets
Wood
1880s French Antique Japonisme Cabinets
Bronze
1960s Italian Vintage Japonisme Cabinets
Brass
Early 20th Century Japanese Japonisme Cabinets
Cedar
1890s Japanese Antique Japonisme Cabinets
Iron
19th Century English Antique Japonisme Cabinets
Metal
1880s French Antique Japonisme Cabinets
Bronze
Late 19th Century French Antique Japonisme Cabinets
Marble, Bronze, Ormolu
19th Century Japanese Antique Japonisme Cabinets
Gold, Silver, Bronze
Mid-20th Century South American Japonisme Cabinets
Wood, Lacquer