While Chinoiserie had been popular throughout Europe since the middle to late 17th century, Thomas Chippendale’s use of Chinese motifs on his quintessentially English wares made for a new style of design.  Regardless of its maker, Chinese Chippendale employs Chinese motifs such as fanciful Chinese figures, pagodas, dragons, temples, palaces, fretwork, glazing, railings, bamboo & bells.  While many of the designs published in Chippendale’s The Gentleman & Cabinet-Maker’s Director were not original, Chippendale’s “Chinese Chippendale” designs inspired an entirely individual style.  In 18th century Britain, China was a mysterious far-away place.  Chippendale drew on this exotic image for his designs.  Many of the representations of Chinese themes originated in Chippendale’s imagination, rather than actual Asian objects.  Early or period Chinese Chippendale furniture was not made in China, but in the trendy cabinetmaker’s shops of 1750s London.  Looking at Chippendale’s designs for chairs, we see not only irregular lattice-work & pierced frets, but also the square leg which was a shocking & extraordinary innovation during the high Rococo when the design world was ruled by The Curve.  Chippendale is such a design rock star that he was the first non-monarch to have a style named after him! 

Chippendale’s Chinese chair designs from The Gentleman & Cabinet-Maker’s Director.  Note the irregular lattice work, pierced fretwork, & square legs!