We are delighted to offer for sale an interesting group of lacquer objects from China, which will be exhibited in our gallery in Jermyn Street from 30th October to 14th November as part of Asian Art in London 2008. The coating of material with lacquer has provided much inspiration for craftspeople in China over the centuries, where it has been used to decorate and create magnificent objects from cosmetic boxes and musical instruments to furniture and other household items. It is thought that the use of lacquer in Asia predates written history, making it difficult to pinpoint its exact origins. However, excavations in China, at Yuhao and Humendu, have unearthed lacquer objects that have been dated as early as the Neolithic period. The sap from the Rhus verniciflua tree provides the primary source of raw lacquer in a number of Asian countries including China, and is primarily harvested from the early summer months up until the early autumn months. Small amounts of the viscous liquid are extracted via deep cuts, which are made along the surface of the tree at different times, allowing the tree to re-heal over a period of years, for it to be cut again. Before it is processed to rid it of impurities such as twigs or tree bark, the sap is collected in a covered container in order to prevent it from hardening. The extracted lacquer (sometimes of two or more different colours) is then applied onto a variety of materials, including metal, stone, porcelain and, most commonly wood, either in a single layer, or up to several hundred layers. Each layer must be left to dry for at least two days before the next can be applied, making the art of decorating with lacquer a labour-intensive one. The pieces in this exhibition demonstrate the versatile nature of lacquer and the varied techniques adopted and developed over the centuries for decorative purposes. In its simplest form, lacquer is painted onto objects covering them in a uniform monochrome colour, which can be seen in a deceptively simple looking lobed dish dating from the Song dynasty (pp. 4-5). Other more complex techniques involve carving through alternate layers of different coloured lacquer, normally black, red and yellow, resulting in the tixi pattern (guri in Japanese) (pp. 6-9). The incorporation of other materials, such as small pieces of mother-of-pearl, which are inlaid into the surface of lacquered objects, often results in finely balanced and intricately decorated pieces (pp. 12-13 and 24-25). The high value placed on lacquer is perhaps not surprising; it not only played a role in protecting delicate materials such as bamboo and wood, thanks to its water resistant properties, but, as the craftspeople who have created the pieces in this exhibition have shown, it was also prized for its versatile nature in beautifully decorating a variety of materials. BEN JANSSENS MARYAM KHOSROVANI previous page next page