Longlisted for the 2024 Berger Prize.

A beautifully illustrated exploration of the impact of Chinese and Japanese material culture on the historic houses and gardens of Britain and Ireland.

The art and ornament of China and Japan have had a deep impact in the British Isles. From the seventeenth century onwards, the design and decoration of interiors and gardens in Britain and Ireland was profoundly influenced by the importation of Chinese and Japanese luxury goods, while domestic designers and artisans created their own fanciful interpretations of ‘oriental’ art. Those hybrid styles and tastes have traditionally been known as chinoiserie and japonisme, but they can also be seen as elements of the wider and still very relevant phenomenon of orientalism, or the way the West sees the East.

Illustrated with a wealth of new photography and published in association with the National Trust, Borrowed Landscapes is an engaging survey of orientalism in the Trust's historic houses and gardens across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Drawing on new research, Emile de Bruijn demonstrates how elements of Chinese and Japanese culture were simultaneously desired and misunderstood, dismembered and treasured, idealised and caricatured.

This book is truly enthralling, and adorned with magnificent images. It’s a valuable investment and a delightful addition to any coffee table, ideal for sharing with others. * Cherry Blossoms Stories *
Beautifully illustrated and endlessly fascinating. * Historic Houses *
[This] book serves as an excellent guide to both this period and a remarkable flowering of design, both in Asia and Europe. * The Georgian *
Lavishly illustrated in full color throughout, Borrowed Landscapes is a beautifully produced volume that brings scores of objects, individuals, and spaces to a broader readership. * Japan Forum Journal *

Emile de Bruijn is Assistant National Curator Decorative Arts at the National Trust. Among his previous publications is Chinese Wallpaper in Britain and Ireland (Philip Wilson Publishers, 2017).