| Before I describe these unique and beautiful | | | | Chinese lacquer that they had simply originally |
| works of art, exclusively Japanese, I feel that you | | | | copied.The Chinese had used shades of black, |
| need to know more about lacquer, the | | | | brown, yellow, green, and mostly red or cinnabar |
| extraordinary medium that was used. Only then | | | | Lacquer. They mainly favoured deep carving of |
| will you fully appreciate these brilliant creations.For | | | | the Lacquer, to form the decoration, and |
| readers who are unfamiliar with old Japanese | | | | produced some outstanding work.They often |
| lacquer, I suspect you will be thinking of the | | | | applied the colours in layers, so that once carved, |
| typical modern lacquer trays and bowls that are | | | | these colours would be revealed. One particular |
| mass-produced. These items are very decorative, | | | | technique is known as 'Guri' lacquer: the colours |
| but completely fail to compare with the | | | | mostly red and black were built up in layers, and |
| magnificent earlier hand made works.FROM CHINA | | | | then a geometric or symmetrical pattern would |
| TO JAPANLacquer is really the sap from a tree | | | | be carved with a deep `V' shaped cut, so that all |
| known as 'Rhus Vernicifera'. The Chinese were | | | | these alternating layers would be revealed within |
| the first to discover and use it, at least a century | | | | the cuts. The Chinese also painted, incised and |
| before Christ, when it was used as a paint, and | | | | inlaid lacquer with iridescent pieces of shell, but |
| more often as a preservative. It was a very | | | | these works were treasured by the Japanese |
| effective preservative, as many pieces still exist | | | | often more so, than by the Chinese.To begin with |
| from as far back as the Han period 206BC, when | | | | all these methods were copied, but by about the |
| lacquer was very popular and in extensive | | | | 15th century the Japanese had become, |
| use.The earliest known Japanese lacquer dates | | | | justifiably, the unrivalled masters of the |
| back to about the 7th Century, but it was not | | | | art!Lacquer was, quite rightly, highly valued for its |
| until the 14th and 15th century that the Japanese | | | | lasting qualities and strength. A very high gloss |
| lacquer works became so much more decorative. | | | | could be achieved, proving impervious to alcohol, |
| By then they had refined and created exceptional | | | | acids and hot liquids. |
| techniques, far finer and more beautiful than the | | | | |