Symbolism was an art and literary movement that emerged in the late 19th century, aiming to counter realism and naturalism by using symbols, metaphors, and suggestions to express deeper emotions, thoughts, and spiritual experiences. Analyzing the Chinoiserie style from a Symbolist perspective allows for a deeper understanding of how this artistic style uses symbolism and metaphor to express European fantasies and emotions about Chinese and Eastern cultures. Chinoiserie is not merely a direct imitation of Chinese art but a symbolic aesthetic expression reflecting 18th-century Europe’s imagination and psychological projection onto foreign cultures.

Symbolic Eastern Imagination

Symbolism emphasizes using symbols and metaphors to convey complex emotions and inner experiences. Chinoiserie does not faithfully reproduce authentic Chinese culture; instead, it constructs an idealized and romanticized Eastern world through various symbolic symbols and elements (such as dragons, phoenixes, landscapes, exotic flowers, and plants). This world is not the real China but a symbolic representation of Europe’s dreams and fantasies about the East. The symbolic nature of Chinoiserie lies not only in reproducing external material culture but also in expressing Europe’s inner longing for the mysterious, exotic, and beautiful aspects of the East.

The Snuff Box Made by Paul Robert in 1747-8 at the V&A Museum, image courtesy of V&A Museum

In the early 18th century, snuffing tobacco powder became a fashionable activity. Ladies and gentlemen would exchange the latest stylish and elegant snuff boxes. For instance, the snuff box made by Paul Robert in 1747-8, currently housed in the V&A Museum, is decorated with carvings, wave patterns, and Chinese seascapes. The enamel features pink and white reliefs that depict Western-style sketch relations. The scenes portrayed are not authentic Chinese landscapes but rather a collage of illustrations pieced together from various second-hand sources. The piece incorporates Rococo-style gilded decorations that carry the sense of curvilinear movement inherited from Baroque style, with the light and vivid relief landscapes set off by gold embellishments. This symbolizes the luxurious and beautiful imaginations that Europe had of Eastern societies at the time.

Cultural Symbolic Fusion

Symbolism focuses on the fusion and intertwining of cultures and ideas. Chinoiserie, as a hybrid style, represents Europe’s symbolic absorption and reconstruction of Chinese cultural elements. It reflects cultural interaction and symbolizes Europe’s imagination and exploration of early cross-cultural exchanges during globalization.

ChuCui Palace “Cloud Poetry” Brooch

Taking ChuCui Palace as an example, its jewelry innovatively combines traditional Chinese fine brushwork, Chinese carving techniques, and Western inlay, making it a pioneer in modern Chinoiserie-style jewelry. This symbolizes the integration and reconstruction of Eastern and Western craftsmanship and culture. The brooch “Cloud Poetry” features the cross-cultural motif of the dragon, common to both Eastern and Western traditions. It eliminates the ferocious image of the Western dragon and refines numerous dragon forms from Eastern art history, creating a more modern, elegant, and benevolent creature. The dragon is seen as a symbol of vitality, especially in Eastern culture, where it is believed to harness the forces of nature, symbolizing the eternal power of continuous life and extraordinary strength. This symbolism transcends language, infusing complex thoughts, emotional resonance, and cultural significance into the artwork, connecting the past of the Eastern world with its underlying aesthetic logic.

The delicate and intricate depiction of Wu Dai and clouds draws inspiration from traditional Chinese carving techniques, bringing the figures to life with vivid and graceful details. The dragon scales are meticulously embellished with gemstones of varying shades, incorporating the Chinese fine brushwork technique of layered shading. In the dragon’s form, Wu Dai interweaves through the dragon’s body, adding layers to the composition and enhancing its noble aura and three-dimensional richness. Wu Dai is a unique decorative expression in traditional Chinese art, famously represented in the Tang Dynasty painter Wu Daozi’s work “Wu Dai Dang Feng” (“Wu’s Drapery in the Wind”). It symbolizes the inner vitality and spiritual state of humans and objects, as well as a carefree and unrestrained spirit of freedom.

Additionally, the dragon’s body is enveloped in swirling mist, creating a mysterious atmosphere that symbolizes the unknown and the fantastical, and also signifies a close connection to fairylands and mythology.

Symbolic Alienation and Othering

From a Symbolist perspective, Chinoiserie can also be seen as a form of symbolic othering. Symbolist works often use obscure symbols and metaphors to reflect understandings and misunderstandings of the “Other.” In Chinoiserie, Eastern elements are symbolized as mysterious, exotic, and idealized, representing an expression of otherness. This symbolic expression is not based on an accurate cultural understanding but rather on Europe’s imaginative projection of foreign cultures, creating an image of the “Other” that meets its aesthetic expectations.

One of the Chinoiserie Murals in the Banquet Hall © Liu Chunyu

The banquet hall of the Brighton Pavilion is adorned with murals featuring Chinoiserie elements. Although these murals depict Eastern figures, their style strongly reflects Western aesthetic preferences. The “Oriental” imagery is presented as the “Other,” gazing at the European guests in the banquet hall and shaped to align with European aesthetic and psychological expectations. Through the reconstruction and reimagining of Eastern themes, Europe expressed its longing, curiosity, and psychological needs for foreign cultures. However, this emotional projection is not genuinely directed toward the East but rather a symbolic manifestation of Europe’s own cultural sentiments.

From the Symbolist viewpoint, Chinoiserie is a style filled with symbolic and metaphorical artistic expressions. Through its symbolic use of Chinese and Eastern elements, it reflects Europe’s fantasies, psychological projections, and internal needs regarding foreign cultures. This style goes beyond mere imitation of external cultures and attempts to explore the spiritual world and inner emotions through symbols and metaphors. Symbolism provides a deep framework for understanding the Chinoiserie style, revealing the complexities of cultural exchange, alienation, and aesthetic imagination.

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