Chinoiserie Furniture
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.
19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Wood
1880s French Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Ceramic, Faience
Early 19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Brass
18th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Canvas, Paint
Early 20th Century French Chinoiserie Furniture
Terracotta, Walnut
Mid-19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Faience
Early 20th Century French Chinoiserie Furniture
Porcelain
Late 19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Marble, Wrought Iron
Late 19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Mother-of-Pearl, Bamboo, Rattan
Early 1900s French Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Ceramic, Faience
19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Metal
1880s French Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Bronze
Late 19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Bronze
Late 19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Bronze
19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Mirror, Cherry, Pine
Early 20th Century French Chinoiserie Furniture
Bronze
1860s French Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Glass, Walnut, Mirror
Mid-19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Ironstone, Wood
Late 19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Brass
Early 20th Century French Chinoiserie Furniture
Porcelain
1880s French Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Bronze, Enamel
19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Ormolu
Late 19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Ormolu, Bronze, Enamel
19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Marble, Bronze
19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Griotte Marble, Ormolu
20th Century French Chinoiserie Furniture
Ceramic
1880s French Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Bronze, Enamel
1890s French Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Crystal
Late 18th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Wood
Mid-19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Bronze
20th Century French Chinoiserie Furniture
Crystal, Bronze
1950s French Vintage Chinoiserie Furniture
Porcelain
Late 18th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Paper
Late 19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Ceramic, Faience, Pottery, Wood, Hardwood
Early 20th Century French Chinoiserie Furniture
Metal
Late 20th Century French Chinoiserie Furniture
Paper
Late 19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Enamel, Ormolu
1820s French Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Metal, Gold
20th Century French Chinoiserie Furniture
Bronze
Early 20th Century French Chinoiserie Furniture
Brass
1880s French Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Rock Crystal, Enamel, Brass
1880s French Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Ceramic, Faience
Late 19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Upholstery, Wood
20th Century French Chinoiserie Furniture
Rock Crystal
Late 19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Gold Plate, Brass, Bronze
1880s French Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Lacquer, Paper
19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Bronze
20th Century French Chinoiserie Furniture
Bronze
20th Century French Chinoiserie Furniture
Tôle
1860s French Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Bronze
Late 19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Canvas, Paper
Late 19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Onyx, Bronze, Ormolu
Mid-19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Wood
Mid-20th Century French Chinoiserie Furniture
Wood
1920s French Vintage Chinoiserie Furniture
Bronze
Late 19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Bronze
1870s French Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Ormolu
20th Century French Chinoiserie Furniture
Bronze
Late 19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Bronze
Mid-20th Century French Chinoiserie Furniture
Marble, Bronze





