Vietnam's Proud Art: Let's Explore the World of Lacquer Paintings Vietnam's northern region is a well-known lacquer production area. Vietnamese lacquerware has a history dating back approximately 2000 to 2500 years, to the Dong Son culture. And it is Vietnamese lacquer paintings, which are attracting attention from artists around the world, that convey the charm of Vietnamese lacquer culture today. Enjoy a deep dive into the world of "Vietnamese lacquer paintings," which you may know little about! Lacquer painting is a painting method that uses lacquer in all processes to complete a single painting. The characteristic vivid colors of red, black, and green are themselves made by mixing pigments with lacquer. Lacquer is also used to adhere eggshells and silver leaf. By repeatedly applying layers of lacquer, drying, and grinding (polishing), a beautiful lacquer painting with a unique texture and luster is created. The history of Vietnamese lacquer art is old. However, lacquer painting took its current form after the founding of the Indochina Fine Arts College in 1925 by the French. Here, numerous techniques were studied, and by adding the trends of Western painting to ethnic paintings, lacquer painting went beyond the realm of crafts and acquired a method of expression as painting. The development of many lacquer paints that produced elegant colors during this period is also said to have increased the momentum for lacquer painting to flourish. Vietnamese Lacquer Trivia ■ Lacquer Production Area Phu Tho province in northern Vietnam is a lacquer production area. By making an incision in a lacquer tree and inserting a seashell, lacquer naturally accumulates in the hollow of the seashell and can be collected. ■ Differences from Japanese Lacquer Vietnamese lacquer trees and Japanese lacquer trees are very different. Vietnamese trees are thin, and the lacquer that is obtained has a high viscosity. Because of this high viscosity, it is suitable for the "lacquer painting" technique of layering lacquer and polishing it to create luster. Size: Approximately 20 x 20 x 1.2 cm Item stored in the warehouse Body only Purchased in Vietnam around 50 years ago Thank you for viewing