Carved lacquer

Carved lacquer, also known as Qidiao in Chinese (漆雕), is a special kind of decorated lacquerware. People in China have used lacquer for over 3,000 years, but the idea of carving into thick layers of lacquer started around the 12th century CE. Making carved lacquer takes a lot of time and effort, so it has always been a fancy and expensive item. It is mostly from China, although people in Japanese lacquer tried to copy it in their own way.

Most of the carved lacquer pieces we still have today are from the Ming and Qing dynasties. However, the main designs for the carvings began during the Song dynasty, and by the early Ming dynasty, the styles and techniques 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 true skill of carving thick layers of lacquer began in the Southern Song period. This style used special patterns called the "Sword-Pommel pattern," with shapes cut into the lacquer to show different colors underneath.

During the Song dynasty, artists also began creating scenes with people in landscapes and pictures of birds and flowers. These designs became very popular and continued to be used in later periods. The Ming dynasty saw the dragon become an important symbol, often appearing on important pieces made for the emperor.

In the Ming period, lacquer was used to cover entire surfaces of furniture, making it very expensive. 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 continued these traditions, with the Kangxi Emperor and Qianlong Emperor being great fans of carved lacquer. However, after the Qianlong Emperor's time, the quality of these pieces began to drop.

Manufacturing process

The lacquer used comes from the lacquer tree, a plant found in China. It is mixed with colors such as red, black, and yellow. The base for the lacquer is usually wood, and sometimes two pieces of wood are glued together with their patterns running in opposite directions to make the piece stronger.

The wood is covered with many layers of lacquer. Each layer must dry slowly in warm, humid conditions before the next layer can be added. After the layers are applied, the lacquer is carved with special tools to create designs. Modern workers sometimes use shortcuts to make the process faster. Today, very few masters of this craft remain, and it is considered an important part of China's cultural heritage.

Uses

Lacquerware is very 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 deep, fancy 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.