Mark Briscoe is an artist with a fascination for all things Eastern. He incorporates Persian and Indian subjects into his paintings, and has perfected the art of Japanning (a process by which Oriental scenes are applied in a decorative fashion to a piece of furniture).

Mark Briscoe (34) has spent many years delving into the secrets of chinoiserie decoration through old manuals on the art and through tireless experimentation at home in his studio, he also spent some time in India where he learnt techniques for painting Indian miniatures, from this he gained brush skills which were invaluable for painting detailed foliate work on Chinese furniture.

His furniture decoration is of a standard matching the very best works of the early eighteenth century craftsmen. Individual pieces- chests, chairs, bureau bookcases, coffee tables-are lacquered and decorated with chinoiserie scenes in gold. The most exacting attention is given to detail with every leaf and every fern painted with minute care and gilded with 22 carat gold leaf. The entire surface is patinated (can be given an extremely antique finish) lending an overall richness and depth to the work.

His Indian paintings often stand over five feet high and still manage to capture all the magnificence of a fine quality miniature. The colours used in each painting are applied very thinly which creates a beautiful luminosity of tone that has a soothing effect and is pleasing to the eye. His works range from Mughal hunting parties, Flower studies and figurative portraits, to icons of Hindu  Deities.