chinoiserie

noun

chi·noi·se·rie shēn-ˈwäz-rē

-ˈwä-zə-;

ˌshēn-ˌwäz-ˈrē,

-ˌwä-zə-

: a style in art (as in decoration) reflecting Chinese qualities or motifs

also : an object or decoration in this style

Did you know?

In 1670, King Louis XIV had the Trianon de Porcelaine erected at Versailles. It was a small structure-a pleasure house built for the king's mistress-and it was decorated with chinoiserie and faced with faience tiles with a blue and white chinoiserie pattern. The building persists in history as the first major example of chinoiserie-the English word is borrowed straight from French, which based the word on chinois, its word for "Chinese"-but the trend it began long outlasted the building itself, which was destroyed a mere 17 years later to make way for the Grand Trianon. Chinoiserie itself was popular throughout the 17th and 18th centuries and enjoyed a brief revival in the 1930s. And people still enjoy it today.

Examples of chinoiserie in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

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But instead of leaving it all to the chinoiserie, Gurney added additional pops of saturated colors that made the curling vines read almost like a neutral backdrop. —

Madeleine Luckel, Architectural Digest, 16 July 2024 Its stunning chinoiserie pattern will make this piece a statement in your home. —

Mia Meltzer, Rolling Stone, 21 June 2024 Photographed against a bamboo forest, his chinoiserie felt a tad on-the-nose, but was no less heartfelt. —

Emily Mercer, WWD, 19 June 2024 The pick of the new suites is the Georgian, an impeccable meld of English heritage and subtle chinoiserie. —

Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Dec. 2023 See all Example Sentences for chinoiserie