![]() Nature scenes: As wallpapers became popular in European homes, the upper class turned to chinoiserie designs, many of which were handmade and often very costly. ![]() The spread of Buddhism brought them to China, where they were assimilated into the regional style. ![]() Pagodas: While an integral part of East Asian architecture, pagodas actually originated as sacred sites in India. Foo dogs typically come in pairs-one male and one female-to represent the balance of yin and yang. And despite their name, foo dogs are actually lions, made to stand guard outside palaces and temples. The culture and tradition of drinking tea, which encouraged an appropriately elaborate mise-en-scène complete with tea sets, tea tables, tea chests, and the like, only helped bolster the demand for all things chinoiserie.įoo dogs: These date back thousands of years to Imperial China. As traders began importing teas to Europe, the beverage grew in popularity. Tea was another of the era’s Asian imports. Monarchs and the aristocracy were especially fond of chinoiserie, and it made appearances in the palaces of Louis XV of France and King George IV of England. Wanting to imitate these far-flung styles, Europeans began producing their own takes on East Asian artifacts, which paired well with the lavishly embellished rococo designs in vogue at the time. While this led to more than a few misinterpretations and misunderstandings, Europeans nevertheless held Asian art and culture in high regard. The style originated in the 17th century, in tandem with Europe’s flourishing trade with China and other countries of East Asia.Įuropeans had long been intrigued by what they viewed as “exotic” Asian cultures as few Europeans had traveled to Asia, they knew little about the region. The term chinoiserie, which comes from the French word chinois, or “Chinese,” denotes that chinoiserie did not, in fact, come directly from Asia but is instead a European interpretation of Asian culture and decorative arts. The tiered shape of the pagoda is often rendered in miniature and is a particularly popular design for hanging lanterns.
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