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The Luxury of Chinese Lacquer

The European Fine Art Fair (TEFAF)
12 – 21 March 2010

Maastricht Exhibition and Congress Centre (MECC)
Forum 100
6229 GV Maastricht
The Netherlands
www.tefaf.com

The creation of objects from the dried sap of lacquer trees (Rhus verniciflua), like silk and porcelain, was a medium invented by the Chinese people. From the dawn of their civilisation, dating back to Neolithic times, the Chinese used it to great effect, creating some of the most astonishing works of art in the history of mankind, and it is not until the first century B.C. do we find evidence of it being produced by other peoples.

However, unlike silk or ceramics, producing lacquer wares was not only extremely labour intensive but also poisonous to the craftsmen (although the Chinese discovered antidotes to relieve this from very early on), therefore the scale of production was relatively small, and they were always highly valued luxury items. Lacquer's preciousness meant that unlike silk or ceramics, it was not widely exported but remained largely for local use.

Exhibition catalogue:

• Introduction

1. A Painted Brown Lacquer Circular Basin
   
   
2. A Black Tixi Lacquer Circular Dish
   
   
3. A Magnificent Tianqi Lacquer 'Daoist Paradise' Cabinet
   
   
4. A Carved Black Lacquer Reversible Sutra Stand
   
   
5. A Carved Cinnabar Lacquer Tray
   
   
6. A Tianqi Lacquer Offering Tray and Cover, with three Asociated Stem Bowls
   
   
7. A Carved Cinnabar Lacquer three-tiered Box and Stand
   
   
8. A Tianqi Lacquer 'Dragon' Cabinet
   
   
9. A Carved Cinnabar Lacquer Circular Box and Cover
   
   
10. A Carved Cinnabar Lacquer Brush and Cover
    
    
11. A Carved Cinnabar Lacquer Oval Dish
    
    
12. A Small Carved Cinnabar Lacquer Pouring Cup
    
    
13. A XIipi Lacquer Box and Cover
    
    
14. A Carved Cinnabar and Black Lacquer Miniature Stand
    
    
15. A Carved Cinnabar Lacquer Miniature Rouleau Vase
    
    
16. A Set of Four Mother-of-Pearl Inlaid Panels
    
    
17. A Mother-of-Pearl Inlaid Chest
    
    
18. A Pair of Black-Ground Polychrome Painted Lacquer Circular Dishes
    
    
19. A Bone-Inlaid Black Lacquer Document Box
    
    
20. A Bone-Inlaid Black Lacquer Chest
    
    
21. A Bone-Inlaid Black Lacquer Kang Table
    
    
22. A Bone-Inlaid Black Lacquer Box
    
    
23. A Bone-Inlaid Black Lacquer Stepped Box
    
    
24. A Mother-of-Pearl Inlaid Black Lacquer Table Screen
    
    
25. A Mother-of-Pearl Inlaid Lacquer and Jade-inset Ornament
    
    
26. A Carved three-coloured Lacquer Hexafoil Jardiniere
    
    
27. An Inlaid Black Lacquer Chest
    
    

• The Chronology of China