Chinoiserie is a pan-European phenomenon, but it manifested uniquely in 18th century Britain, particularly among the upper and middle-class female consumers. In 18th century England, Chinoiserie decor was predominantly associated with female consumers. Notable collectors of Chinoiserie included women such as Queen Mary, Queen Anne, Henrietta Howard, and The Duchess of Queensbury. Chinoiserie was especially popular in the households of the upper class, particularly in intimate spaces designed for and used by women.
In 18th century Britain, with the development of a consumer society, Chinoiserie became a crucial means for the upper class and the emerging middle class to display their identity and taste, securing an important place in aesthetic and consumer culture. The popularity of Chinoiserie among female consumers reflected the redefinition of women’s roles and identities in society at the time. Women, through their appreciation and collection of Chinoiserie decor, challenged traditional aesthetic norms and gained more agency in social and economic realms.
Chinoiserie played a dual role in art and decor. On one hand, it was seen as a fashionable commodity, symbolizing luxury and status within a consumer society; on the other hand, it was also regarded by some as a style with artistic value, although this view was not universally accepted. Chinoiserie exhibited strong hybridity and adaptability, capable of blending with European Baroque and Rococo styles. For instance, British designers would combine Chinese decorative elements with Gothic architectural styles to create unique hybrid designs.
The painting “Marriage A-la-Mode: 2, The Tête à Tête” by British painter William Hogarth.
British painter William Hogarth is renowned for his boisterous humor and insightful observations of mid-18th century English society. Around 1743, he created “Marriage A-la-Mode: 2, The Tête à Tête,” which depicts a young married aristocratic couple meeting at breakfast after having spent the night separately in a brothel and gambling at card games. Behind them on the mantelpiece, there is a bust of a Roman matron, notably with a broken nose, surrounded by a group of Chinese porcelain figures and disproportionately tall necked jars and vases.
In his “Marriage A-la-Mode” series, William Hogarth expressed the theme of classical frugality being eroded by Eastern luxury. Employing Orientalist techniques, he linked Chinese culture with a luxurious lifestyle and incorporated Chinese porcelain figures into British economic and moral narratives. The Chinese elements in these works not only represent exoticism and opulence but also enhance the depth and complexity of artistic expression through essentialization and self-referential methods.
Note: Essentialization: The simplification of a complex and diverse culture into a few fixed traits or images to facilitate understanding and dissemination. In Hogarth’s works, Chinese culture is simplified as a symbol of luxury and exoticism, which helps convey his critique of changes in British society.
Self-referentiality: The artwork includes implicit or direct references to itself or its own culture, adding to the intrinsic complexity and multi-layered interpretation of the work. In Hogarth’s creations, his depiction of Chinese porcelain figures not only tells a story about luxury and morality but also reflects and critiques the social and economic conditions of Britain itself.
In contemporary times, ChuCui Palace has taken Chinoiserie to its zenith, pioneering a Chinoiserie style within the jewelry sector. Although their creations are not exclusively designed for women, the style inherits curves from Chinoiserie, draws on Eastern naturalism, and features delicately graded colors akin to fine brushwork, all of which are particularly favored by women.
The ChuCui Palace Primped Magnolia Brooch.
Their piece, the “Primped Magnolia Brooch,” masterfully combines meticulous heavy color painting with Chinoiserie style, capturing the most enchanting moment of a blooming magnolia. The artwork uses platinum as “ink lines” to outline, emulating the “iron wire” delineation in meticulous brushwork with even pressure, graceful simplicity, and vigor. It emphasizes the nuances, twists, and variations of lines, ensuring a robust and fluid contour. The piece selects the unique pastel decorations of Chinoiserie, laying out shades of varying purity sequentially, and is adorned with emerald-green stamens and butterflies to enhance color tension. The coloration follows the meticulous heavy color painting’s gradient method, allowing for delicate transitions and a soft, natural appearance.
The brooch features vibrant, rich colors with a strong decorative appeal, utilizing Rococo-inspired C-shaped and S-shaped curves from Chinoiserie, which fundamentally represent an imitation and further refinement of Chinese aesthetics and naturalism within Chinoiserie. The petals are either curled or relaxed, breaking away from the singular, lush floral form in the composition, complemented by a blue butterfly on one side to create an Eastern-style asymmetrical natural composition.
Thomas Chippendale-designed Low Corner Cupboard
Another phenomenon in 18th-century England was the presence of many home spaces specifically designed for women, such as the mistress’s bedroom and drawing room. These spaces were often decorated exquisitely, showcasing the household’s taste and status. The furniture designs of the renowned British designer Thomas Chippendale were widely used in these areas, becoming a key component in displaying women’s fashion and luxurious lifestyles.
Chippendale’s designs included many pieces of furniture in Chinese style, which combined Chinese decorative elements with Gothic features, demonstrating the extensive influence of Chinoiserie in British decorative arts. Chippendale often employed delicate and refined decorative elements that aligned with the aesthetics considered feminine at the time. For example, the elegant curved outlines and Chinese floral patterns used in the Low Corner Cupboard, designed between 1768-1778, along with its light and graceful structure, made these features particularly suitable for female-centric indoor spaces such as bedrooms, drawing rooms, and dressing rooms.
In summary, Chinoiserie was not only an essential part of 18th-century British societal and cultural makeup but also a key to understanding the aesthetic perceptions and social changes of the time. Through the furniture designs of Thomas Chippendale and the visual arts of William Hogarth, Chinoiserie became widely popular among the upper classes and middle class, particularly among female consumers, reflecting the pursuit of identity and status as well as a challenge to traditional aesthetic norms. This style, with its unique decorative elements and exotic appeal, not only enriched the visual culture of the 18th century but also provides valuable inspiration and a diverse aesthetic perspective for contemporary artistic creation. Today, the jewelry brand ChuCui Palace continues to carry forward Chinoiserie, displaying the enduring charm of this classic style through meticulous heavy color painting and elements of Eastern naturalism. By studying Chinoiserie, we can better understand its historical context and draw inspiration for modern cultural expressions, achieving an aesthetic legacy that transcends time and space.