Japonisme Sculptures
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.
Mid-20th Century Chinese Japonisme Sculptures
Iron
Mid-20th Century Asian Japonisme Sculptures
Wood, Paint
Early 20th Century Japanese Japonisme Sculptures
Bronze
20th Century Japanese Japonisme Sculptures
Bronze
Early 20th Century Japanese Japonisme Sculptures
Copper
Mid-20th Century Spanish Japonisme Sculptures
Ceramic
Early 20th Century Japanese Japonisme Sculptures
Hardwood
Mid-20th Century Japanese Japonisme Sculptures
Ceramic
Late 20th Century Japonisme Sculptures
Porcelain
19th Century Japanese Antique Japonisme Sculptures
Bronze
Early 20th Century Japonisme Sculptures
Jade
19th Century Japanese Antique Japonisme Sculptures
Bronze
19th Century Japanese Antique Japonisme Sculptures
Bronze
Mid-20th Century French Japonisme Sculptures
Iron
Early 1900s French Antique Japonisme Sculptures
Marble, Bronze, Ormolu
1920s Japanese Vintage Japonisme Sculptures
Bronze
1920s Japanese Vintage Japonisme Sculptures
Bronze
1880s French Antique Japonisme Sculptures
Fabric, Mirror, Wood, Lacquer
Mid-20th Century Japanese Japonisme Sculptures
Bronze, Iron
19th Century Japanese Antique Japonisme Sculptures
Silk, Plaster
2010s Japanese Japonisme Sculptures
Ceramic
2010s Japanese Japonisme Sculptures
Ceramic
Late 20th Century English Japonisme Sculptures
Porcelain
Late 19th Century French Antique Japonisme Sculptures
Metal
Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Japonisme Sculptures
Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Japonisme Sculptures
Steel
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Japonisme Sculptures
Ceramic, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Japonisme Sculptures
Ceramic, Wood
Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Japonisme Sculptures
Bronze
Late 19th Century French Antique Japonisme Sculptures
Spelter
Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Japonisme Sculptures
Bronze
Early 20th Century French Japonisme Sculptures
Bronze
19th Century French Antique Japonisme Sculptures
Metal
Early 1800s Japanese Antique Japonisme Sculptures
Giltwood, Lacquer, Wood
Early 2000s Japanese Japonisme Sculptures
Rope, Wood, Lacquer
Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Japonisme Sculptures
Bronze
2010s Japanese Japonisme Sculptures
Ceramic
1880s Japanese Antique Japonisme Sculptures
Wood
17th Century Japanese Antique Japonisme Sculptures
Metal
19th Century Japanese Antique Japonisme Sculptures
Bronze
1950s Japanese Vintage Japonisme Sculptures
Bronze