The art of lacquerware
Lacquerware is a famous local craft that has developed over time into an art form of refined quality.
The lacquerware craftsmanship originally came from China in the 1st century AD.
Traditionally, extraordinarily fine lacquerware bowls were produced with a combination of horsehair and bamboo to make them very flexible.
Lacquerware is crafted from a mixture of sap from the thitsi tree and ash, applied to the surface of objects such as woven bamboo or wood.
A multicoloured lacquerware item takes approximately 6 months to complete. This is because the entire process involves more than a dozen steps. Successive layers of lacquer are applied to the object to eliminate irregularities and then dried for several days. When fully dry, the surface is polished to a smooth finish, and ornamental and figurative designs are added to enhance the lacquerware.
Basically, dried lacquerware is black and to give a touch of colour cheap items are simply painted, while expensive items are embellished by means of engraving, painting and polishing. The most usual colours are red, black, green and yellow.
Lacquerware from Bagan
Lacquerware is found in Thailand and Laos, but the best examples are crafted in the villages around Bagan in Burma.
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