In the 16th century, China began to export goods such as porcelain, lacquerware, furniture and wallpaper to Europe. The Chinese did not rate these items highly; however, as they seemed exotic and different they would become luxury items in the West.
The term "Chinoiserie" was coined by the French to describe European-made furniture and artworks that imitated the style of the imported Chinese items. Chinoiserie became extremely fashionable throughout the 18th century.
Although China had been exporting goods for centuries, in the 19th century a number of ports were opened between Japan and the West for the first time, meaning trade was possible at last. In a similar way to the craze for Chinese goods previously, the trend for Japanese art became known as "Japonisme."
Towards the end of the 19th century, French Impressionism was on the rise thanks to the painters Claude Monet, Édouard Manet and Pierre-Auguste Renoir. All three admired Asian art and collected Japanese woodcuts and prints. Elements of Japanese art influenced their work, which in turn shaped the style of Impressionist painting.
The art nouveau movement at the turn of the 20th century was also heavily influenced by Asian art. Aubrey Beardley's ink illustrations paid homage to Japanese lithographs, while Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec's caricature-like drawings emulated the exaggerated shapes and facial expressions found on prints in Kabuki theaters.