Set of Three Lacquered Nesting Tables with Chinoiserie Decoration, France circa 1940

This set of three graduated nesting tables represents a refined example of the French enthusiasm for chinoiserie that flourished throughout the first half of the twentieth century. Worked in a deep bordeaux lacquer approaching black, the tabletops are adorned with exquisitely painted gilt scenes evoking the gardens and landscapes of imperial China — pagodas rising among weeping willows, birds in flight, and stylised floral motifs rendered with a confident brushwork that belies the European hand behind them.

The three tables nest seamlessly, their rectilinear tops and straight, slightly tapered legs forming a harmonious geometric ensemble that speaks to the restrained modernism of French decorative arts circa 1940. The lacquer itself, worn to a beautiful patina over the decades, acquires an almost archaeological presence, its craquelure surface lending the set the gravitas of genuine antique lacquerwork from the Far East.

Sets of this kind were highly fashionable among the Parisian bourgeoisie and elite during the interwar period, valued for their versatility as much as their decorative appeal. They would be equally at home in a formal sitting room alongside eighteenth-century furniture as in a contemporary interior seeking an element of historic depth and visual warmth.

A charming and decorative ensemble of sustained quality, these nesting tables are in good vintage condition consistent with their age. Offered with all three pieces.