China has fascinated the imagination of the West for centuries. The story of chinoiserie in Britain is a dazzling example of contact between two very different cultures. This indispensable and beautifully illustrated guide to the chinoiserie style tells three centuries of stories through rare and exotic objects. Loans from HM The Queen, national museums and private collections include some of the earliest Chinese and China Trade objects exported to Britain. English merchants returned from China with silk, porcelain, tea and lacquer. These fabulous objects inspired local craftsmen to produce their own fantastical pieces using the fanciful imagery of an imaginary China. The Royal Pavilion in Brighton is the most dazzling example of chinoiserie style and extravagance in Britain, and is the inspiration and focus for the major exhibition that this book accompanies. Included in the displays are imitations of Chinese objects and furniture, ceramics, silver, jewellery and textiles in a pronounced chinoiserie style, from the late seventeenth century right up to the use of Chinese motifs by fashion and interior designers of the 1920s. Chinese Whispers explores the notion of chinoiserie as exotic, stylish and fun, as well as revealing its persistent connection with the theme of female transgression. AUTHOR: David Beevers is Keeper of Fine Art at the Royal Pavilion & Museums, Brighton. 158 colour & 25 b/w illustrations