Antique Lamps - Oriental Interior Design
Posted: Saturday, May 08, 2010
by Maurice Robertson
Antique and Vintage Table Lamp Co
For the past two centuries, the West has been continually re-inspired by Oriental interior design. It was first inspired in the 18 th century with the first British embassy to Imperial China in 1793 when Lord McCartney was received in Beijing by the Qianlong emperor.
T his historically diplomatic event began an English love affair with Chinese decoration and art, reaching its high point during the period of the English Regency of George the IV. It was the French, however, who instigated the European love of Chinese art and culture with the French term "Chinoiserie" used to describe this exotic, decorative style.
Interior lighting, of course, is a major contributor to the successful outcome of a decorative scheme. So much so, that poorly thought through lighting can make or break a beautiful interior.
To Western eyes, the traditional Oriental interior would look rather "undecorated" with fewer items of furniture, often carved and lacquered. The interior colour scheme is much richer than the Western interpretation, with the Chinese love of strong colours. Chinese traditional interiors use bold colours, with red predominating along with other bright colours such as yellow and green.
Within this interior style, lamps other than Oriental could look entirely out of place. The appropriate lamp will "pull the look together", particularly when combined with sumptuous, silk lamp shades in oriental style.
Chinoiserie
Stylish table lamps are an important key to the well furnished interior and a major key to the stylish table lamp is the Chinoiserie style. Chinoiserie, a French word, pronounced "shin-wahz-ree", signifies "Chinese-esque" or " anything reflecting Chinese culture; designs, artistic styles, or behaviour".
Yet , to gain a richer understanding of this classic decorating style, we need to go back in history to the time of that intrepid traveller, Marco Polo. It was this famous Venetian who first opened the eyes of the West to the mysterious land, known to the Chinese as the Middle Kingdom or China .
By the 17th century, new and exciting products began to trickle into Europe from China , a land still hidden and virtually unknown to the West. Europe was fascinated by the exotic imports such as silk, lacquered furniture and porcelain, all vastly expensive and purchased only by the wealthy social classes. These beautiful and curious objects led to the development of a European interpretation of Chinese decoration which the French called, "Chinoiserie".
The mid 18 th century saw a French, aristocratic demand for sumptuous interior design with various European monarchs, such as Louis XV of France, giving special favour to this exciting genre as it blended particularly well with the high Rococo style of the day.
In true Chinoiserie fairyland, Mandarins lived in fanciful, mountainous landscapes with cobweb bridges. They carried flower parasols and lolled in flimsy bamboo pavilions haunted by dragons and phnixes with animated monkeys swinging from scrolling borders, always delicately drawn and full of free flowing movement with beautifully balanced composition.
Chinoiserie quickly became the height of fashion, setting the interior design style of Paris , London , Berlin and St Petersburg , finding expression in mediums such as furniture, porcelain, wallpaper and fabric, to name just a few.
While the popularity of Chinoiserie may have peaked around the middle of the eighteenth century, its value as an arresting, interior decorative style has never waned.
For a sophisticated classic or eclectic interior, fine antique table lamps of Chinoiserie style will quickly "pull the look together", adding great charm and an enduring, refined design.
The Antique and Vintage Table Lamp Co specialise in antique lamps with an exclusive on-line range of over 100 unique lamps. Lamps are shipped ready wired for the US , the UK and Australia .
For further information you are invited to visit their web site at -:
http://www.antiquelampshop.com
The Antique and Vintage Table Lamp Co 2010
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