Chinoiserie Blanket Chests
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.
Early 1900s Antique Chinoiserie Blanket Chests
Linen
1920s Vintage Chinoiserie Blanket Chests
Fruitwood
20th Century Hong Kong Chinoiserie Blanket Chests
Wicker, Cane, Rattan
Late 20th Century Chinoiserie Blanket Chests
Hardwood, Lacquer
Late 20th Century Chinoiserie Blanket Chests
Leather, Lacquer
Early 20th Century Hong Kong Chinoiserie Blanket Chests
Wood
Early 18th Century Italian Antique Chinoiserie Blanket Chests
Walnut, Paint
20th Century American Chinoiserie Blanket Chests
Brass
19th Century British Antique Chinoiserie Blanket Chests
Mother-of-Pearl, Wood
1950s American Vintage Chinoiserie Blanket Chests
Paldao, Walnut
19th Century Indian Antique Chinoiserie Blanket Chests
Iron
Late 20th Century Chinoiserie Blanket Chests
Rattan, Hardwood
Early 20th Century European Chinoiserie Blanket Chests
Wrought Iron
Early 1900s English Antique Chinoiserie Blanket Chests
Oak
19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Blanket Chests
Brass
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Chinoiserie Blanket Chests
Pine
Late 19th Century Hungarian Antique Chinoiserie Blanket Chests
Pine
Late 20th Century Chinoiserie Blanket Chests
Brass
1730s Danish Antique Chinoiserie Blanket Chests
Oak
1840s English Antique Chinoiserie Blanket Chests
Hardwood
1970s Vintage Chinoiserie Blanket Chests
Rattan
1920s Vintage Chinoiserie Blanket Chests
Fruitwood
1930s Vintage Chinoiserie Blanket Chests
Fruitwood
1970s Chinese Vintage Chinoiserie Blanket Chests
Brass
1970s Unknown Vintage Chinoiserie Blanket Chests
Brass
Late 20th Century Chinese Chinoiserie Blanket Chests
Faux Bamboo, Hardwood, Paint
Early 20th Century Chinese Chinoiserie Blanket Chests
Brass
Early 20th Century Chinoiserie Blanket Chests
Hardwood
20th Century Southeast Asian Chinoiserie Blanket Chests
Brass
20th Century American Chinoiserie Blanket Chests
Brass
Mid-20th Century North American Chinoiserie Blanket Chests
Wood, Lacquer
1920s Vintage Chinoiserie Blanket Chests
Hardwood
19th Century British Antique Chinoiserie Blanket Chests
Wood, Lacquer