French Japonisme

At 1stDibs, there are many versions of the ideal French japonisme for your home. Each French japonisme for sale was constructed with extraordinary care, often using metal, ceramic and bronze. Find 234 options for an antique or vintage French japonisme now, or shop our selection of 4 modern versions for a more contemporary example of this long-cherished piece. You’ve searched high and low for the perfect French japonisme — we have versions that date back to the 18th Century alongside those produced as recently as the 21st Century are available. A French japonisme, designed in the Art Nouveau, Art Deco or Louis XV style, is generally a popular piece of furniture. Many designers have produced at least one well-made French japonisme over the years, but those crafted by Theodore Deck, L'Escalier de Cristal and Choisy-le-Roi are often thought to be among the most beautiful.

Prices for a French japonisme can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — at 1stDibs, they begin at $280 and can go as high as $958,022, while the average can fetch as much as $5,531.

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.