Carved lacquer

Carved lacquer, also called Qidiao in Chinese (漆雕), is a special kind of decorated lacquerware. People in China have used lacquer for more than 3,000 years. The idea of carving into thick layers of lacquer began around the 12th century CE. Making carved lacquer takes a lot of time and work, so it has always been fancy and expensive. It is mostly from China, but people in Japanese lacquer also tried to copy it.

Most carved lacquer pieces we have today are from the Ming and Qing dynasties. The main designs for the carvings started during the Song dynasty, and by the early Ming dynasty, the styles and ways to make them were mostly set. These designs include special patterns like the guri or Sword-Pommel pattern, people in landscapes, and pictures of birds and plants. Sometimes, there are also designs with religious symbols, animals, lucky characters, and imperial dragons.

Objects made from carved lacquer are usually small and useful, like boxes, plates, and trays. A few screens and pieces of Chinese furniture were also made this way. Carved lacquer is not often mixed with painting or other lacquer methods.

History

Later Chinese writers said that carved lacquer started in the Tang dynasty, but the real skill of carving thick layers began in the Southern Song time. Artists used special patterns called the "Sword-Pommel pattern," cutting shapes into the lacquer to show different colors.

During the Song dynasty, artists made scenes with people in landscapes and pictures of birds and flowers. These designs were very popular and used in later times. The Ming dynasty made the dragon an important symbol, often on special pieces for the emperor.

In the Ming period, lacquer covered whole surfaces of furniture, making it very costly. One famous example is a large table made between 1425 and 1436, now kept in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

The Qing dynasty kept these traditions, with the Kangxi Emperor and Qianlong Emperor loving carved lacquer. But after the Qianlong Emperor's time, the quality of these pieces fell.

Manufacturing process

The lacquer used comes from a tree in China. It is mixed with colors like red, black, and yellow. The base for the lacquer is usually wood. Sometimes, two pieces of wood are glued together to make the piece stronger.

The wood is covered with many layers of lacquer. Each layer must dry slowly before the next one is added. After all the layers are on, the lacquer is carved with special tools to make designs. Some people use shortcuts to make the process faster. Today, very few people know how to do this craft, and it is important to China's culture.

Uses

Lacquerware is light, strong, and easy to keep clean. It was often used to make items like stands for cups and bowls, and special boxes for important things. Carved lacquer was not usually used for plates because the designs would be hard to clean. But it was used for special food containers in important settings, like royal picnics.

People also made beautiful writing tools, like brushes and their covers, from carved lacquer. Rich families used these items for special events like weddings, birthdays, or when someone passed an important test. Boxes made of lacquer were also used to give or receive special gifts.