Question: What is Chinoiserie?
Answer: The term chinoiserie originally came into use in the 17th and 18th century to describe decorative and elaborately designed furniture that showed a heavy Chinese influence.
There was great European interest in China during that time, and designers like Chippendale took elements of Chinese furniture and applied them to their own furniture. Some of the furniture at that time was made in Europe and sent to China to be lacquered, with patrons often having to wait for years to get their pieces.
The modern definition of the term chinoiserie has grown to include any Western furniture or home furnishings that show Chinese influence. Since Chinese furniture can be very elaborate, as well as extremely simple, it is possible to find both influences today as opposed to the overly elaborate style that was favored in the 17th and 18th centuries.
