LACQUER ART VISUAL ART

BY MARIA ARSHAD
LACQUER ART

Lacquer painting is a form of painting with lacquer which was practiced in China,
Korea and Japan for decoration on lacquer ware

The genre was revived and developed as a distinct genre of fine art painting by
Vietnamese artists in the 1930s; the genre is known in Vietnamese as "sơn mài."
LACQUER ART - HISTORY
Lacquer painting started in 16th
century Vietnam in Hà Vĩ village (Hà
Tây). - Originally, lacquer was used for
decorating household objects, furniture
and religious 17th century sculptures at
Mía temple, Đường Lâm, H
LACQUER ART – FROM DECORATIVE TO FINE ARTS

In 1925, the Ecole Supérieure des Beaux-Arts de

L'Indochine was established in Hanoi.
Professors saw the potential of lacquer as a painting
medium and encouraged students to pursue “sơn
mài”.
Notable alumnus include Nguyễn Gia Trí,
Nguyễn Tư
LACQUER ART – MATERIALS
Traditionally, there are 4 main colors, made from the resin of the wax tree mixed with
pigments:
LACQUER ART – MATERIALS
Materials After the 20th century, many new materials have been discovered, experimented and
used by artists : Egg shells Mother of Pearl Synthetic Pigments
LACQUER ART – TECHNIQUES
1) The background layer of paint is smoothly covered on a wooden
surface.
2) Different layers of paint with different colors are painted on top of
each other.
3) The painting surface is abraded to reveal different layers of paint.
4) Embellishments and ornaments are attached to the painting.
5) The final product is varnished and polished until it reaches the desired
smoothness and glossiness.
 LACQUER ART – TECHNIQUES

Materials After the 20th century, Họa sĩ Nguyễn Tư Nghiêm

LACQUER ART – CONCLUSIONS
With a rich history, lacquer is a uniquely Vietnamese
painting medium which can produce unparalleled
depth.
Lacquer can be applied widely as decorations for
household objects, furniture and architectural
elements.
Lacquer can be introduced internationally as a
recreational activity and field of study. Country
landcape, 1939, Nguyễn Gia Trí