Red Luster: East Asia | Newark Museum
Skip to main content
Home

Top navigation start

  • EMAIL LIST
  • DONATE
  • MEMBERSHIP
  • PLAN EVENT
  • EDUCATORS
BACK

Search form

  • Dedicated Right Nav
    • Newark Black Film Festival
      • Newark Black Film Festival
      • Film Inquiries
      • Youth Cinema Schedule
      • Adult Cinema Schedule
      • Sponsors
    • Tiaras to Toe Rings
      • Tiaras to Toe Rings Overview
      • Tibet
      • China
      • Japan
      • Korea
      • South Asia
      • Southeast Asia
      • Amulets
    • Red Luster
      • Red Luster Overview
      • East Asia
      • Southeast Asia
      • Central Asia
      • Leather
      • Functions
    • Sponsors
    • Tibet Collection Exhibitions
      • Tibet Collection Exhibitions
      • Chapel of the Masters
        • Overview
        • Arhat
        • Mahasiddha
        • Nyingma Order
        • Kadam Order
        • Kagyu Order
        • Sakya Order
        • Gelug Religious Order
      • Chapel of the Fierce Protectors
        • Overview
        • Rituals and Ritual Implements
        • Deities
      • From the Sacred Realm
        • Overview
        • Five Tathagatha Buddha
        • Bodhisattva
        • Paradises and Purelands
  • Visit
    • Plan Your Visit
      • Directions
      • Admission & Hours
      • Accessibility
      • Visitor's Guide
      • Contact Us
    • Museum Tours
      • Public Tours
      • Group Tours
        • Adult Groups Request form
    • Amenities
      • Newark Area Links
  • On View
    • Exhibitions
      • Featured
      • Upcoming
      • Ongoing
      • Previous
      • Traveling
    • On View
      • Arts of Global Africa
      • American Art
        • Overview
        • Seeing America
      • Arts of the Americas
      • Arts of Asia
        • Arts of Asia Overview
        • Tibet
        • China
        • Japan
        • South & Southeast Asia
        • Oceania
        • Korea
      • Art of the Ancient Mediterranean
      • Decorative Arts
        • Overview
        • Style, Status, Sterling
      • The Ballantine House
      • Museum Garden
        • Overview
        • Fire Museum
      • Science Exhibits
        • Overview
        • Dynamic Earth
        • Planetarium
        • emPOWERED
        • Saturn
  • Programs
    • Temp
    • For Adults
      • Gallery Tours & Activities
      • Second Sundays
      • Courses and Workshops
      • Late Thursdays
      • Lectures and Public Conversations
      • Films & Performances
      • Special Events
      • Members Events
      • Benefit Events
      • Members Travel
      • Newark Museum Black Film Festival
      • Jazz in the Garden
    • For Youth & Families
      • Planetarium
        • Overview
        • Schedule
        • School Groups
        • Skywatch
      • MakerSPACE
      • Family Drop-Ins
        • Family Drop-Ins
      • Creative Play
      • Interactive Galleries
      • Explorers Program
        • General Information
        • Application
        • Upcoming Events
        • Stay Connected
      • Camp Newark Museum
        • Camp General Information
        • Camp Schedule & Registration
        • Parent Testimonials
        • Camp FAQ's
      • Special Events
      • NBFF Youth Cinema
      • Black History Month
      • Holiday Programs
    • For Educators
      • School & Teacher
      • Class Trips
      • Visiting Your Classroom
      • After School at the Museum
      • Leap into Science Educator Training
      • Professional Development
  • About
    • Mission & Governance
      • History
      • Mission
      • Financial Information
      • Trustees
      • Leadership
    • Press Office
      • Press Releases
      • Media Only
      • In the News
      • Archived News
      • Archived Press Releases
    • Museum Links
      • Social Media
      • Career Opportunities
      • Internship Program
      • Community Partners
      • Area Links
    • Library & Archives
      • Library & Archives
      • Collection Search
      • Library Search
    • Museum Collection
      • Collection Search
  • Support Us
    • Join or Renew
      • Membership
      • Become a Member
      • Renew Membership
      • Gift Membership
      • Members Travel
      • Founder's Society
    • Give
      • Donate Today
        • Annual Fund
        • One Time Gift
        • Recurring Gift
        • Tribute Gift
      • Benefit Events
      • Corporate Support
        • Overview
        • Sponsorships & Underwriting
        • Corporate Membership
        • Event Rentals
      • Individual Support
        • Overview
        • Annual Fund
        • Membership
      • Ways To Give
        • Overview
        • Gifts in Honor or Memory
        • Gifts of Securities
        • Gifts of Art
      • Planned Giving
      • List of Supporters
      • Volunteer
        • Volunteer Organization
        • Business & Community Council
        • Become a Docent
    • Members Travel
      • Members Travel
      • Testimonials
      • Day Tours
      • Domestic Travel
      • International Travel
      • Before you go
      • Travel FAQ
Directions
  • Direction Map
  • GET DIRECTION
 
  • Ink-stone Box (suzuri-bako) with 'Boys at Play' (yingxi tu) Motif Japan, 18th-19th century Wood, carved lacquer, mother-of-pearl Gift from Ms. Susan D. Bliss, 1947 47.259A-C
IMAGE GALLERY Share Exhibition
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Google+
  • Pinterest
  • Email

Red Luster: East Asia

In much of East Asia Lacquer is made from a toxic resin produced by the so-called ‘varnish tree’ (Toxicodendron vernicifluum, formerly identified as Rhus vernicifluum) native to parts of China that also grows in areas of Korea and Japan. Initially, this tree’s resin is processed into a liquid that may be applied over any surface such as woods, metals, cloth, ceramics, baskets, shells and so forth. To maximize lacquer’s significant protective coating, multiple thin layers are applied and each layer must fully dry before the next is added. Drying is carefully controlled to prevent cracking that would weaken the functional and decorative properties. Raw lacquer dries into a naturally dark color. Adding opaque minerals, such as cinnabar reds (mercury sulfide), orpiment yellows (arsenic sulfate) and malachite greens (copper carbonate) creates colored lacquers. In different processing stages, lacquer can be worked in a variety of techniques.

Incised Lacquer 
One method of decorating lacquer is called qiangjin in Chinese. Grooves are incised into the lacquer, then filled with gold.

Carved Lacquer
Lacquer carving, called diaoqi in Chinese, begins with a multi-layered process. Each lacquer-layer must fully dry before the next is applied—a timely process as layers can range from thirty to hundreds of applications. The layers may be of the same or different colored lacquers. After drying, the lacquer is carved.  Some examples display different colors—yellow, red and green for different layers.

Burnished Lacquer
Burnishing—the act of polishing an uneven surface to an even level—produces several effects in lacquer objects. So-called marbled wares (or ‘rhinoceros hide’) lacquers are created in a technique called moxian in Chinese (literally ‘polish-reveal’). Multiple layers of different lacquer colors are applied in asymmetric dollops. After multiple coatings, the surface is burnished, rubbing down differently raised layers to achieve a liquid-like, multi-colored finish. Filled-in lacquers (called cuanxi, xipi, tianqi or diaotian in Chinese) are made with areas of lacquer carved out, other colors filled in these gaps, then the surface is burnished so that the surface is even.

Lacquer As Fixitive
In addition to lacquer suspending color, its adhesive properties produce a strong bond to hold items pressed into the wet lacquer. Gold and mother-of-pearl, are two items often included in Japan, Korea and China to enrich lacquer surfaces.

Ongoing Red Luster: East Asia

Red Luster Overview
East Asia
Southeast Asia
Central Asia
Leather
Functions
VIEW CALENDAR DONATE TODAY

PROGRAMS

  • Docent-led Gallery Tours, Daily

    Get more out of the Museum's renowned collections by taking part in a gallery tour led by one of our trained docents.

    VIEW DETAILS
  • Second Sundays

    Join us each month for a host of activities designed for the entire family and inspired by the Museum's global collections.

    VIEW DETAILS

FEATURED

Featured Exhibition Photo

Arts of Global Africa

Now on View

See one of the nation's oldest and most comprehensive collections of its kind in the Museum's fully renovated flagship space on the first floor.

VIEW DETAILS

The Newark Museum of Art

973.596.6550
  • ADMISSION HOURS
  • Wednesday - Sunday Noon - 5pm
  • Closed Mondays & Tuesdays (except MLK Jr. Day)
  • New Year's Day, July 4, Thanksgiving Day & December 25.
49 Washington Street, Newark, NJ 07102-3176 | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY POLICY
© 2019 THE NEWARK MUSEUM OF ART

Go ahead. Get closer.

Contact Us

Hours

Wednesday - Sunday Noon - 5pm
Closed Mondays & Tuesdays (except MLK Jr. Day)
New Year's Day, July 4, Thanksgiving Day & December 25.
@Newark Museum

Our thoughts are with our neighbors in Jersey City during this difficult time. As a small gesture we would like to offer up the Museum as a community sanctuary and safe place for reflection, as well as waive admission fees for all residents for the remainder of the year. https://t.co/Fn0KJ8jG05

Directions

Footer Map
The Newark Museum of Art
973.596.6550
49 Washington Street,
Newark, NJ
07102-3176

GET DIRECTIONS

Adult Group: 973.596.6550
School Group: 973.596.6690
Membership: 973.596.6686

The Newark Museum of Art is committed to making its collection, buildings, programs and services accessible to all audiences. For more information click here

Contact Us

Hours

Wednesday - Sunday Noon - 5pm
Closed Mondays & Tuesdays (except MLK Jr. Day)
New Year's Day, July 4, Thanksgiving Day & December 25.
@Newark Museum

Our thoughts are with our neighbors in Jersey City during this difficult time. As a small gesture we would like to offer up the Museum as a community sanctuary and safe place for reflection, as well as waive admission fees for all residents for the remainder of the year. https://t.co/Fn0KJ8jG05

Directions

Footer Map
The Newark Museum of Art
973.596.6550
49 Washington Street,
Newark, NJ
07102-3176

GET DIRECTIONS


Adult Group: 973.596.6650
School Group: 973.596.6690
Membership: 973.596.6699
The Newark Museum of Art is committed to making its collection, buildings, programs and services accessible to all audiences. For more information click here
49 Washington Street, Newark, NJ 07102-3176 | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY POLICY
© 2019 THE NEWARK MUSEUM OF ART