Chinoiserie facts for kids

Chinoiserie is a fancy word. It means art and designs that look like they came from China. But they were actually made in Europe! This style became very popular. It showed up in many things. You could see it in furniture, buildings, and even paintings. It was a way for Europeans to imagine faraway lands.

The Dragon House in Potsdam is a great example of Chinoiserie architecture.

What is Chinoiserie?

Chinoiserie is a European art style. It was inspired by Chinese art. It became popular in the 17th century. This style often used bright colors. It featured scenes with pagodas and dragons. You might also see people in Chinese clothing. Sometimes, it showed exotic birds and plants. It was a playful and fun style.

Why Was Chinoiserie Popular?

Europeans were very interested in China. They imported many goods from there. These included silk, tea, and porcelain. Chinese art was seen as very beautiful. European artists wanted to create similar things. But they often added their own European ideas. This mix created the Chinoiserie style. It was a way to bring a bit of the "exotic East" to Europe.

Where Can We See Chinoiserie?

You can find Chinoiserie in many places. It was popular in royal palaces. For example, the Drottningholm Palace in Sweden has Chinoiserie rooms. Tsarskoye Selo in Russia also shows this style. It was used in furniture, like cabinets and chairs. People also used it for wallpaper and fabrics. Even small items like teacups had Chinoiserie designs.

Chinoiserie in Architecture

Some buildings were designed in the Chinoiserie style. They often had curved roofs. These looked like Chinese pagodas. The Chinese House in Potsdam, Germany, is one example. The Great Pagoda at Kew Gardens in London is another. These buildings were often found in large gardens. They were meant to be fun and decorative.

Chinoiserie in Art and Objects

Artists painted scenes in the Chinoiserie style. These paintings showed imaginary Chinese landscapes. They often featured people enjoying nature. Porcelain was also a popular item. European factories tried to copy Chinese porcelain. They decorated it with Chinoiserie patterns. This included dragons, flowers, and figures. Furniture makers also used this style. They might add lacquer finishes. This made the furniture look like Chinese lacquerware.

Images for kids

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  A Vienna porcelain jug from 1799, decorated to look like Chinese lacquerware.

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  Sir William Chambers' Great Pagoda at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, London.

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  The Chinese Garden, a Chinoiserie painting by François Boucher from 1742.

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  A Meissen porcelain figure from around 1735.

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  A Chinese folding screen used as decoration in the painting Chopin (1873) by Albert von Keller.

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  Painted wallcovering canvas from the Geelvinck-Hinlopen Huis.

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  The Chinese House in Potsdam, Germany.

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  The "Chinese Village" at Tsarskoe Selo, ordered by Catherine the Great.

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  The "Chinese Palace" in Palermo, ordered by Ferdinand III of Sicily.

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  A Tea House on Myasnitskaya Street in Moscow.

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  A cuboid bone china vase from around 1870 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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  A pair of porcelain bottles from 1870-1880 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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  A wall clock from around 1880, likely made by Escalier de Cristal in Paris.

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  Wallpaper in the Chinoiserie style by Rex Whistler, 1932.

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  A Medici porcelain bottle from 1575-1787 at the Louvre.

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  An Austrian hard-paste porcelain coffeepot from around 1720.

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  Covered soft-paste porcelain vases from around 1770.

See also

In Spanish: Chinería para niños