Chinoiserie is a European decorative art style that emerged in the late 17th century characterized by a fascination with and imitation of Chinese design and culture.  Motifs from Chinese art were liberally applied to ceramics, wallpaper and furniture.  Chinoiserie elements include fretwork, pagodas, birds, landscapes, and rivers, among others. Anything Chinoiserie was seen as a symbol of exotic elegance and sophistication. The style had a significant impact on Western design and influenced subsequent styles including Art Nouveau.

 

Europeans were also captivated by the beauty of Asian lacquerware with its glossy surface and sought to copy it in their own furniture designs.  Since they could not  import the Asian tree resin used in the Far East lacquer, they developed a technique which came to be called "japanning" to mimic the lacquerware using various varnishes and pigments.