Lacquerware
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[[Image:FFM-QingRotlackDose.JPG|thumb|Chinese lacquerware box from the [[Qing Dynasty]], [[Museum für angewandte Kunst]], Frankfurt, Germany.]]
[[Image:Lacquerware-roundbox-w-children.jpg|thumb|Carved lacquerware box from the [[Qianlong period]], [[Qing Dynasty]], 1736-1795, [[National Museum of China]], Beijing.]]
'''Lacquerware''' is objects which are decoratively covered with [[lacquer]] which is sometimes inlaid or carved. Lacquerware includes boxes, tableware and even coffins painted with lacquer in cultures mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere.
==History==
[[Image:Song Dynasty Lacquerware Tray.JPG|thumb|left|180px|Chinese [[Song Dynasty]] five-lobed tray, lacquer on wood with a metal rim, 11th-12th century.]]
Lacquer and producing lacquerware had been known to the Chinese since at least the [[Warring States]] ([[403 BC]]-[[221 BC]]) era in [[China]]. This can be seen in the existing lacquerwares produced, mostly of ritual cups, dishes, and wooden chest boxes with a lacquer finish across the surface. Many of these priceless ancient Chinese or Japanese lacquer artifacts can be found in private collections and museums, such as the [[Freer Gallery of Art]] in [[Washington D.C.]] In [[Japan]], the art of lacquerware-making came along with Buddhism and other cultural artifacts from China during the 8th century, and "carved lacquerware" came to Japan from Ming Dynasty China during the 14th century.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kyohaku.go.jp/eng/dictio/data/shikki/chou.htm|title=Chinese Carved Lacquerware|author=Akio Haino|publisher=[[Kyoto National Museum]]|accessdate=2007-08-16}}</ref>
==Burmese lacquerware==
[[Image:Eastern Han Lacquer Basket.JPG|thumb|right|200px|A Chinese Eastern [[Han Dynasty]] [[lacquer]]ed wooden box with 3-inch tall painted figures, 2nd century AD.]]
''Yun-de'' is lacquerware in [[Burmese language|Burmese]], and the art is called ''Pan yun''. The lacquer is the sap tapped from the varnish tree [[Melanorrhoea usitatissima]] or ''Thitsee'' that grows wild in the forests of [[Myanmar]] (formerly Burma).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://dict.die.net/melanorrhoea%20usitatissima/|title=Melanorrhoea usitatissima|publisher=die.net online dictionary|accessdate=2007-03-31}}</ref> It is straw-coloured but turns black on exposure to air. When brushed in or coated on, it forms a hard glossy smooth surface resistant to a degree effects of exposure to moisture or heat.
===History===
[[Bayinnaung]]'s conquest and subjugation in 1555-1562 of [[Manipur]], [[Bhamo]], Zinme ([[Chiang Mai]]), Linzin ([[Lan Xang]]), and up the Taping and Shweli rivers in the direction of [[Yunnan]] brought back large numbers of skilled craftsmen into Burma. It is thought that the finer sort of Burmese lacquerware, called Yun, was introduced during this period by imported artisans belonging to the Yun or [[Laos]] [[Shan people|Shan]] tribes of the Chiang Mai region.<ref>{{cite book|url=http://mission.itu.ch/MISSIONS/Myanmar/Burma/bur_history.pd|title=Burma|author=D.G.E. Hall|year=1960|publisher=Hutchinson University Library|pages=42}}</ref>
===Manufacture and design===
[[Image:Burmese lacquerware.JPG|thumb|Burmese lacquerware - a private collection]]
Lacquer vessels, boxes and trays have a coiled or woven bamboostrip base often mixed with horsehair, and the thitsee may be mixed with ashes or sawdust to form a putty-like substance called ''thayo'' which can be scuplted. The object is coated layer upon layer with thitsee and thayo to make a smooth surface, polished and engraved with intricate designs, commonly using red, green and yellow colours on a red or black background. ''Shwezawa'' is a distinctive form in its use of gold leaf to fill in the designs on a black background.<ref name="Blurton">{{cite web|url=http://www.fathom.com/feature/190126/index.html|title=A Path to Burmese Culture: The Art of Lacquer|first=Richard|last=Blurton|year=2002|publisher=The British Museum/Fathom|accessdate=2007-03-31}}</ref><ref name="ao">{{cite web|url=http://www.artfromburma.com/cat.cfm?cat=2|title= Burmese Lacquerware Collection|publisher=Art Only|year=2006|accessdate=2007-03-31}}</ref>
Palace scenes, scenes from the [[Jataka]] tales, and the signs of the Burmese [[Zodiac]] are popular designs and some vessels may be encrusted with glass mosaic or semi-precious stones in gold relief.<ref name="ao"/> The objects are all handmade and the designs and engraving done free-hand. It may take three to four months to finish a small vessel but perhaps over a year for a larger piece. The finished product is a result of teamwork and not crafted by a single person.<ref name="Blurton"/>
===Forms===
[[Image:MS-PerlmuttlackPäoniendose16Jh.JPG|thumb|left|200px|A Chinese [[Ming Dynasty]] [[mother of pearl]] lacquer box, 16th century, Museum für Lackkunst, [[Germany]].]]
The most distinctive vessel is probably a rice bowl on a stem with a spired lid for monks called ''hsun ok''. ''Lahpet ok'' is a shallow dish with a lid and has a number of compartments for serving ''[[lahpet]]'' (pickled tea) with its various accompaniments. Stackable tiffin-carriers fastened with a single handle or ''hsun gyaink'' are usually plain red or black. ''Daunglahn'' are low tables for meals and may be simple broad based or have three curved feet in animal or floral designs with a lid. Water carafes or ''yeidagaung'' with a cup doubling as a lid, and vases are also among lacquerware still in use in many monasteries. <ref name="Blurton"/><ref name="ao"/>
Various round boxes with lids, small and large, are known as ''Yun-It'' including ones for [[paan]] called ''Kun-It'' (betel boxes). ''Yun titta'' are rectangular boxes for storing various articles including ''peisa'' or palm leaf manuscripts when they are called ''sadaik titta''. Pedestal dishes or small trays with a stem with or without a lid are known as ''kalat'' for serving delicacies or offering flowers to royalty or the [[Gautama Buddha|Buddha]]. Theatrical troupes and musicians have their lacquerware in costumes, masks, head-dresses, and musical instruments, some of them stored and carried in lacquer trunks.<ref name="ao"/> Boxes in the shape of a pumpkin or a bird such as the owl, which is believed to bring luck, or the ''[[Hamsa bird|hintha]]'' (Brahmani goose) are common too. Screens and small polygonal tables are also made for the tourist trade today.
[[Image:Chu State Lacquer Coffin.JPG|thumb|right|200px|A Chinese [[lacquer]] [[coffin]] decorated with birds and dragons, from the [[State of Chu]], 4th century BC.]]
===Industry===
[[Bagan]] is the major centre for the lacquerware industry where the handicraft has been established for nearly two centuries, and still practised in the traditional manner. Here a government school of lacquerware was founded in the 1920s. Since plastics, porcelain and metal have superseded lacquer in most everyday utensils, it is today manufactured in large workshops mainly for tourists who come to see the ancient temples of Bagan. At the village of Kyaukka near [[Monywa]] in the [[Chindwin River|Chindwin]] valley, however, sturdy lacquer utensils are still produced for everyday use mainly in plain black.<ref name="Blurton"/>
==Japanese lacquerware==
{{Main|Japanese lacquerware}}
Shikki urushi-ware is lacquerware in Japanese, the sounds of the name Shikki urushi-ware has two meaning of beautiful (uruwashi) and moist (uruoi).
As coating [[lacquer]] on natural material of wood and paper, craftsmen need certain rather high humidity.
<br />Japanese lacquerware is also called "''Japan''".<ref>http://www.thefreedictionary.com/japan 1. A black enamel or lacquer. or 2. An object decorated with this substance.</ref>
===History===
[[Lacquer]] and producing lacquerware had been known to the Far East Asia. The art of lacquerware came with [[Buddhism]] into Japan from China.
And in the [[Kamakura period]], Japanese craftsman focused on carving the thick coated [[lacquer]] of Chinese style. Soon after craftsman thought about carving woods first and coating [[lacquer]] later.
In such way, Japanese craftsman realized shorten time to make lacquerware and spread over widely in not only among priests of temples but warriors of [[samurai]] residences.
===Japanese lacquerware characteristic to regions===
Since the relocation of the capital from [[Nara, Nara|Nara]], [[Kyoto]], [[Kamakura, Kanagawa|Kamakura]] and [[Edo]] ([[Tokyo]]) in the thousand of years were done, a variety of lacquerware is found all over the long island of Japan.
The first on the list may be Wajima-nuri and Kamakura-bori, because of historical background.
Very contemporary lacquerware may be [[Wagae-nuri]], born in the town of Zushi neighbor to [[Kamakura, Kanagawa|Kamakura]].
==References==
<references/>
* Michiko, Suganuma. [http://lacquer.tafejapan.com "Japanese lacquerware"].
==See also==
*[[Japanning]]
*[[Ryukyuan lacquerware]]
*[[Wagae-nuri]]
==External links==
*[http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/elac/hd_elac.htm "Lacquerware of East Asia"] at the [[Metropolitan Museum]].
*[http://www.kyohaku.go.jp/eng/dictio/shikki.html "Lacquerware Stories"] at the [[Kyoto National Museum]].
*[http://www.acf-china.com/blog/?p=46 "An excellent article explaining how Chinese Cracked Lacquer is created"]
* Kelly, Kristin. 2001. ''The Extraordinary Museums of Southeast Asia'', pp. 49-54. Harry Abrams, Inc.: New York. [http://books.google.com/books?id=t06YAAAACAAJ&dq=THe+extraordinary+museums+of+southeast+asia&ei=1j2dR-TrIYjssQPa7c2pCg]
*[http://www.geocities.jp/urushigeyoshi/ URUSHIGEYOSHI - Alle Sou-nuno, honkataji, -arbeit]
[[Category:Lacquerware| Lacquerware]]
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