For the past two centuries, the West has been continually re-inspired by Oriental interior design.
It was first inspired in the 18th century with the first British embassy to Imperial China in 1793 when Lord McCartney was received in Beijing by the Qianlong emperor.
This historically diplomatic event began an English love affair with Chinese decoration and art, reaching its high point during the period of the English Regency of George the IV.
It was the French, however, who instigated the European love of Chinese art and culture with the French term "Chinoiserie" used to describe this exotic, decorative style. Today the Western enthusiasm for the Oriental interior continues to grow, especially with China's recent rapprochement with the West.
Chinoiserie, a French word, pronounced "shin-wahz-ree" signifying "Chinese-esque" or "anything reflecting Chinese culture: Chinese artefacts', designs, artistic styles, or behaviour".
Yet, to gain a richer understanding of this classic decorating style, we need to go back in history to the time of that intrepid traveller, Marco Polo. It was this famous Venetian who first opened the eyes of the West to the mysterious land, known to the Chinese as the Middle Kingdom or China.
Around the late 13th century, new and exciting products began to trickle into Europe from China, a land still hidden and virtually unknown to the West. Europe was fascinated by the exotic imports such silk, lacquered furniture and porcelain, all vastly expensive and purchased only by the wealthy social classes. These beautiful and curious objects led to the development of a European interpretation of Chinese decoration which the French labelled, "Chinoiserie".
The mid 18th century saw a French, aristocratic demand for sumptuous interior design with various European monarchs, such as Louis XV of France, giving special favour to this exciting genre as it blended particularly well with the high rococo style of the day.
In true Chinoiserie fairyland, Mandarins lived in fanciful, mountainous landscapes with cobweb bridges. They carried flower parasols, lolled in flimsy bamboo pavilions haunted by dragons and phoenixes, while monkeys swung from scrolling borders, always delicately drawn and full of free flowing movement with beautifully balanced composition.
Chinoiserie quickly became the height of fashion, setting the interior design style of Paris, London, Berlin and St Petersburg, finding expression in mediums such as furniture, porcelain, wallpaper and fabric, to name just a few.
This decorative style can go as far as you like, with sumptuous interiors to include Chinoiserie carpets, drapes, lamps, upholstery fabrics, screens and pictures. While the popularity of Chinoiserie may have peaked around the middle of the eighteenth century, its value as an arresting, interior decorative style has never waned.
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