Cosmetics box set

MAJOR DECORATION TECHNIQUES

Plain or painted surface, either red or black ground with other pigments.

Painted surface affixed with silver or gold foil decors, or embellished with varied pigments covering engraved areas.

Carved lacquer (tiqi), a method that involves carving built-up layers of thinly applied lacquer into a three-dimensional design. It includes techniques of carved red, carved black, and carved multicolor.

“Filled-in” (xiangqian), a technique in which lacquer is inlaid with other materials. Several methods gradually evolved: filled-in gold (qiangjin), filled-in lacquer of different colors (tianqi), mother-of-pearl inlay (qianluodian), and semi-precious stone inlay (qianbaibao). In particular, the art of inlaying lacquer with mother-of-pearl was intensively developed during the Song era; it was also introduced to Korea and reached new apexes there (see related works in the Korean galleries).

“Polish-reveal” (moxian), a method in which lacquer of one or more colors is repeatedly applied in certain areas, sometimes with a layer of gold or silver powders, to build up a design. After the ground is covered with lacquer of a new color, the entire surface is polished down to reveal the color variations and hidden patterns. This technique was introduced to Japan and developed into the famous maki-e tradition there (see related works in the Japanese galleries).