See also: Lacquer (homonymy)

The lacquer is a matter which by drying form a solid coating, resistant to the bad weather.

The natural lacquer is a latex extracted from various shrubs of the family of the Térébinthacée S, different according to the areas:

  • the tree Sumac (Rhus will vernicifera) in China, with the Japan and in Korea, with the toxic sap;
  • the Toxicodendron succedaneum with Taiwan and the Vietnam;
  • the Melanorrhoea usitata in Thailand and with the Myanmar (ex-Burma), called locally “Thit-if”;
  • with the Japan, the traditional lacquer is carried out with the resin extracted the tree trunk Urushi, one finds also this lacquer in Korea, in Taiwan, in Vietnam, in Thailand and in Myanmar;
  • in India, the lacquer ( laksha ) is extracted from a resin secreted by a cochineal, the Coccus lacca .

History

The lacquer takes its roots in China there is more than three thousand years, and its technique developed then in all the Southeast Asia.

Under the Dynasty Han, third century BC at the 3rd century afterwards, it was initially used to protect the weapons, then the domestic objects and finally the pieces of furniture.

In Burma, the origins of the lacquer seem to come from the pagodas of Bagan at the 12th century.

In the years 1680, the dynasty of Dagly de Spa, in Principality of Liege, carried out imitations strong appraisals, called the Dagly varnish which made a good portion of the European fame of the town of water and which broke the monopoly of the Holland which remained a long time the only importer of japanners (taste for the mythical East).

In 1730, the Martin brothers of Paris develop an imitation of lacquer containing copal, the Vernis Martin. This varnish comprises however a large defect: it is fragile with water.

About the middle of the 19th century, progress of chemistry allows the settling of a shellac varnish of better quality. During the First World War, the lacquer was employed to reinforce the resistance of the propellers.

At the 20th century of shellac varnish powerful appear thanks to new formulas and with varnishes hardening with the air. One sees appearing nitrocellulosic, glycerophthalic lacquers or polyurethenes. These “modern lacquers” were employed by the decorators of the movement Art déco on all kinds of supports: plywood, lathed, agglomerated or sheet aluminum.

Principal craftsman-Masters

  • China
    • Huang Xia Wu, Song dynasty, 960 - 1279
    • Chang Cheng, Yuan dynasty, 1279 - 1368
    • Chen Ching, dynasty Ming, 1368 - 1644
    • Lao Wei, Qing Dynasty, 1644 - 1910

  • Japan

    • Naga Shige, 1599 - 1651
    • Kano Nao Nobu, 1607 - 1650
    • Kaji Coffee, Japan, † 1682
    • Your Tsuki Yei Suke, 19th century
    • Gonroku Matsuda, 20th century
    • Katsutaro Yamazaki, 20th century
    • Tomio Yoshino, 20th century

  • Europe

    • Gerard Dagly, dynasty of Dagly, 17th century
    • the brothers Martin of Paris, 18th century
    • Jean Dunand, 1877 - 1942 (artist lacquerer of the period Art Déco)
    • Association L.A.C. (associated lacquerers for creation) since 1978; Olga Aloy, Catherine Bodilis, Jean-Pierre Bousquet, Bruno Chomel, Gine Clement, Raphael Daynié, Maurice Debois, Isabelle Emmerique, Ephidia, Fad, Laurence Klein, Bond, Thibauld Mazire, Michel Merz, Catherine Nicolas, Michel Pontie, Martine Rey, Catherine Simonneau-Pestel
    • Catherine NICOLAS : Better Workman of France, 14th in title since 1924

Collect resin

One takes the resin, a little like one does it with the latex on the Hévéa S, by notches at the base of the trunk on which small bowls in Bambou are fixed. The sap of the lac tree has a very strong adhesive quality and a splendid brilliance.

Manufacture

The collected resinous sap must be used as soon as it was purified, coloured or natural. It dries by forming an insoluble film and without pores.

The natural lacquer is used by application of very thin layers; the quality of the lacquer is determined by the number of layers - seven layers for a beautiful lacquer - the Chinese can pass to 18 layers on the most beautiful carved objects.

the color is obtained according to the incorporated chemicals, of iron oxide for the black, of natural mercury sulfide for vermilion, of the iron sesquioxide for the red blood stone, of arsenic sulfide for the yellow, mixes of yellow and black for the green

Use

The lacquer adheres on many surfaces, bamboo, wood, sheets of palm tree, metal, leather.

It has many qualities as to make impermeable the objects which it recovers, it resists the insects and guard on all occasions its flexibility.

It has great qualities, but also some defects like impossibility of repairing the breaks.

External bonds

  • Presentation of the lacquers

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