Rococo, Chinoiserie, and the Intersection of European and Chinese Art During the 18th

Century

The Rococo era is characterized by 'boun gusto' (good taste), composed of its soft, asymmetrical
designs and pink pastel tones (Bussagli, 34). The origin of Rococo is marked by the modifications
Louis XV brought to royal architectural decoration. Yet another important factor that impacted the
development of the art style came through the rise of the Age of Discovery; the Silk Road and the Age
of Sailing provided trading, connecting Eastern dynasties with Western empires. Westerners regarded
Chinese silk, porcelain, and other artworks as precious treasures; this favoritism further developed
into a fusion of Chinese art style with local art, creating the surge of Chinoiserie (Honour, 30-34). As
the German cultural policymaker Adolf Reichwein wrote in his work "The entire secret of the
compatibility between Rococo art style and Chinese culture lies in the delicate and intricate sentiment
embodied by porcelain" (顾小姐, N.A.), Chinese porcelain production is the critical cultural
influence of all works. Led by the blue and white porcelains, the Chinoiserie declared a vibrant and
significant touch to 18th-century European art.

The influence of Chinoiserie started before the Rise of Rococo; its origins can be traced back to the
1st century B.C. when the Chinese merchants started their first trading with European traders
(Honour, 30). The first demonstration of Chinoiserie related to Rococo started when the merchant
brought the blue and white porcelain back to Louis XIV during the Age of Sailing. Starting in the 17th
century, items from the East led European nobility into great demand, particularly Louis XIV, the Sun
King. Porcelain, with its Eastern origins and exorbitant prices, became one of the prime ways to
showcase social position and wealth (顾小姐, N.A.). Louis XIV extensively adorned his palace with
porcelain fixtures and even commissioned a porcelain house for his mistress. Beyond mere objects
and decorations, Chinese influence permeated Rococo artistry, especially in painting. Rococo
paintings commonly featured delicate pastel colors, favoring shades of blue and yellow with a soft,
lustrous sheen, mirroring the hues found in Chinese porcelain (Sohu, N.A.). The artistic ambiance of
Rococo painting was light, gentle, and relaxed, reminiscent of the serene tones of Chinese porcelain.
For example, the ‘The Embarkation for Cythera’ by Jean-Antoine Watteau. In the work, the
application of color schemes with fluid and diluted pigments and transparent colors in the artwork all
demonstrate techniques reminiscent of Chinese ink painting and enamel porcelain, renovating the
painting style of that period. The techniques of late Baroque and early Rococo with Chinese
influences laid the groundwork for the subsequent development of Chinese-style porcelain and art in
Europe, paving the way for future European artists to develop further into the Rococo style.

1. Jean-Antoine Watteau, The Embarkation for Cythera, c.1717. Oil paint.

As one of the most active promoters of the Rococo arts, Louis XV has an unavoidable identity in the
history of 18th-century European art. Not only that, his royal mistress, Madame de Pompadour,
became the leading figure in incorporating Chinoiserie into European art. Due to her interest in and
study of Chinese porcelain as well as being a top patron of its industry, Madame de Pompadour
created a myriad of Chinoiserie-style porcelains along with her partnership with the most significant
porcelain producer in France, Manufacture Nationale de Sèvres (Honour, 108). The art style refined
by Madame de Pompadour integrated Rococo and Chinese elements, emphasizing decorativeness and
asymmetry at the same time, often featuring themes from nature and highlighting leisurely scenes.
Furthermore, it also focused on porcelain materials. Based on the techniques learned from China, the
French craftsmen recreated porcelain with local materials that showed an analogous texture (Sohu,
N.A.). Nonetheless, Madame de Pompadour’s intention of implementing oriental elements didn’t
originate from the mania of Chinese porcelain; contrary, in Hugh Honour’s ‘Chinoiserie’, he presented
the opinion that Madame de Pompadour looks to value more in transforming and applying oriental
elements on ormolu mounts rather than showing interest in Chinoiserie porcelain (Honour, 109).
Indeed, distinctly from the era of Louis XIV, the Western porcelain style had changed from an
obsession with the blue and white porcelains to a further demonstration of local elements.

The experimentation and development of the Sèvres reflected the art ideology of artists during that
period; a case in point is the ‘Grand Pot à Fleurs Ovale’ flower vase, produced along with a series of
works led by Madame de Pompadour. In the flower vase, the overall pink pastel tone and the
demonstration of flowers are a clear feature of the Rococo style (Garden, N.A.). The ormolu mounts
made of implemented gold are the main aim of Madame de Pompadour; they are also the main feature
of late Rococo porcelain (Honour, 109). Referring to the Chinoiserie elements in the vase, the only
clear visible parts are the realistic smoothed painted flower on the front of the work and the ink
painting-styled mountain shapes composed by the surrounding ormolu trim, supporting the comment
of Honour over Pompadour. Apart from the cultural adaptation, the simplicity of Chinoiserie in
Rococo arts could also be considered a consequence of the isolationism of the Qing dynasty. In
contrast to the rapidly developing European nations, the Qing Dynasty's isolationist policies kept its
technology and economy stagnant. Therefore, when more Europeans set foot on this land in the 18th
century, the poverty and corruption they encountered there were completely contrary to their
expectations. From this time onward, denigrating and caricature became people’s main ideas towards
the Qing dynasty (顾小姐, N.A.). Yet, its porcelain and other works still remained in a certain
position in European society, leading to a provable reason for the looting and destruction of the Old
Summer Palace by the Anglo-French forces in 1860.

In conclusion, the Chinoiresie had an impact on the late Baroque, helping European artists develop
deeper into the Rococo style. At the same time, oriental works were also considered precious in the
West, and nobles showed strong interest in the porcelains, making them a valuable representation of
identity in society at that time. After entering the reign of Louis XV and the period of Rococo arts, the
fusion of cultural arts became the critical feature of Chinoiresie’s influence over European arts at that
time; artists started to incorporate the beauty of Eastern arts into their own style, and as techniques
became mature enough, the Europeans started their era of porcelain creation with heavier local
characteristics, such as the pigment tone and the application of ormolu. Even though the influence of
Chinoiserie decreased after the long isolationism of the Qing dynasty, the oriental characteristic still
marked an impactful color towards the development of Western art, and its preciousness still remained
for the later looting of the Europeans during their invasion of China.
References
[1 ]Bussagli, Marco, and Mattia Reiche. Baroque & Rococo. Sterling Publishing Company,
Inc., 2009. (N6415.B3 B8713 2009)

[2] Honour, Hugh. Chinoiserie: The Vision of Cathay. Harper & Row, 1973. (N 6754 .H6
1973)

[3] 顾意如此顾小姐. “从Vogue女模特到西方审美，Chinoiserie中国风的起源（一）

Chinoiserie从何而来.” 知乎专栏, n.d. https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/260188586.

[4] House & Garden. “Madame De Pompadour and the ‘Everyday Rococo’ of Her Sèvres
Porcelain.” House & Garden, April 14, 2022.
https://www.houseandgarden.co.uk/gallery/madame-de-pompadour-and-sevres-porcelain.

[5] Sohu.com Inc. “Have you ever seen Qing dynasty porcelain with Rococo style?”, April
18, 2022 https://www.sohu.com/a/538843488_120048229#google_vignette.

2. Manufacture Nationale de Sèvres, Grand Pot à Fleurs Ovale, c.1750-51. Porcelain flower vase.