Chinese Wallpaper in Britain and Ireland

'You would be forgiven for turning to Chinese Wallpaper in Britain and Ireland for the pictures alone. Here are tantalising glimpses of private chambers, hung with geometric arrangements of Chinese prints in the mid-18th century. Luxuriate only in the images, though, and you stand to miss de Bruijn’s formidable detective work, charting the complex cross-pollination of influences between Western Europe and China'  -  Art Quarterly

A lavishly illustrated book that showcases some of the most significant Chinese wallpapers surviving in the British Isles. 

Chinese wallpaper has been an important element of western interior decoration for three hundred years. As trade between Europe and China flourished in the seventeenth century, Europeans developed a strong taste for Chinese art and design.

The stunningly beautiful wall coverings now known as ‘Chinese wallpaper’ were developed by Chinese painting workshops in response to western demand. A sophisticated synthesis of eastern and western art, Chinese wallpapers were an early-modern global product and they are still popular and influential today. In spite of their spectacular beauty, Chinese wallpapers have not been studied in any depth until relatively recently.

This book provides an overview of some of the most significant Chinese wallpapers surviving in the British Isles. Sumptuously illustrated, it shows how these wallpapers became a staple ingredient of high-end interiors while always retaining a touch of the exotic. The book charts the stylistic development of Chinese wallpaper, allowing individual wallpapers to be more securely dated.

It also touches on the China trade, the crucial role of the paper-hangers and the social significance of Chinese-style decoration in Britain. This is a ground-breaking resource for both scholars and designers, as well as for anyone interested in historic interior design.

Details

• Author: Emile de Bruijn
• Paperback: 272 pages | 170 colour illustrations
• Date published: November 2018
• Language: English
• ISBN: 9781781300732
• Product Dimensions: 27.9 x 23.4 cm