Lacquer masters apply historic touch
A replica of a lacquer drum dating back more than 2,300 years on display at the National Museum of China in Beijing (JIANG DONG / CHINA DAILY)
At first glance, it may seem like just a piece of weathered wood, easily dismissed without a second thought. However, this seemingly unremarkable object, measuring a mere 2.4 inches, holds significant historical value.
This wooden artifact, later identified as a bowl coated with a delicate layer of lacquer, was unearthed from the Hemudu site in Yuyao, Zhejiang province, back in 1977. Dating back to the Neolithic period, its discovery indicates that inhabitants along the Yangtze River some 6 to 7 millennia ago harvested sap from lacquer trees to enhance their daily lives. Today, the bowl is housed in the Zhejiang Provincial Museum in Hangzhou, the provincial capital.
The intricate relationship between humans, raw lacquer, and creativity has evolved over thousands of years in this region. In the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), renowned lacquer artisan Yang Ming encapsulated the progression of techniques and artistic styles in a preface for Xiushi Lu, a treatise on Chinese lacquerwork authored by fellow craftsman Huang Cheng in the 16th century. The document describes how these techniques and variations have evolved over time, offering a visual feast for the eyes.
Archaeological findings have uncovered evidence of lacquer tree sap being utilised as early as 8,000 years ago. Yang Peizhang, a 47-year-old lacquer artist and associate professor at Tsinghua University’s Academy of Arts and Design in Beijing, highlights the significance of natural lacquer due to its favourable physical and chemical properties. The fluid, initially milky and greyish, darkens to a rich brown upon exposure to air, providing protection against water, humidity, and pests while enhancing durability. It can also be blended with pigments for decorative purposes.
The ongoing exhibition at the National Museum of China in Beijing, titled Phoenix Kingdoms, showcases the splendour of lacquerwork during the late Bronze Age. Curator Chen Keshuang explains how lacquer was meticulously applied on various cores to create armours, vessels, musical instruments, ornamental pieces, and drums. These artefacts exemplify the pinnacle of lacquerware craftsmanship during the 3rd century, featuring intricate designs, inlaid shells for contrast, relief carvings, and even gold leaf embellishments for a three-dimensional effect.
This period marked the genesis of ancient Chinese craftsmanship using lacquer and other materials to produce timeless pieces that embodied beauty in living spaces. Artists like Yang Ming and Huang expanded the repertoire of lacquerware techniques, with references in Xiushi Lu to intricate methods like xipi qi, involving elaborate colouring, layering, and polishing to achieve mesmerising patterns of interlaced colours.
Gan Erke, a distinguished artist dedicated to preserving this unique lacquer style into modern times, has collaborated with luxury brands to blend traditional lacquerwork with contemporary materials and designs. By incorporating the xipi qi technique onto modern furniture pieces like carbon fibre chairs and rosewood tables, Gan Erke achieves a harmonious blend of classic and modern aesthetics.
As Yang Peizhang emphasises, the evolution of aesthetics in lacquerwork is a continuous process, rooted in the preservation of traditional techniques and the innovation of new methods by artists to uphold and advance the heritage of lacquer artistry.