The Vogue of Makie and Chinoiserie
 
In the background of Japanese makie decorating European palaces and castles was the vogue of chinoiserie, the craze for things Asian. The Europeans of the time did not differentiate for the most part whether an object came from China, India, or Japan, rather they created their own images of a "Far East" by adding their own utopian ideals. Based on these perceptions, they commissioned objects that in turn transformed decorative styles produced in Asia itself.

Interior of Asian Trade Shop
Victoria and Albert Museum
©V&A Images/Victoria and Albert Museum, London