Exhibition sheds light on distinct flavors of lacquerware from Korea, China, Japan

For thousands of years, the art of lacquerware has flourished across East Asia, transforming everyday objects into extraordinary works of art. Originating from China, this ancient craft has paved its way through Korea and Japan, producing everything from simple household items to intricate metal and wooden masterpieces.

To highlight the similar yet distinct beauty of lacquer in the three East Asian countries, the National Museum of Korea (NMK) is holding a special exhibition in Seoul with its counterpart museums — the National Museum of China and the Tokyo National Museum of Japan, showcasing 46 lacquerware pieces.

The exhibition, titled “Lacquerware of East Asia,” offers an opportunity to glimpse at the splendid crafts of the three countries based on lacquer culture. Ancient people often incorporated natural sap collected from lacquer trees, which are resistant to moisture and pests, into their crafts.

“Focusing on the decorative techniques that embellish the surfaces of solid lacquer foundation, the exhibition highlights Korea’s mother-of-pearl lacquerware created by gluing the iridescent mother-of-pearl, Japan’s maki-e lacquerware made with 토토 sprinkled gold powder and China’s carved lacquer with intricate designs carved on layers of lacquer,” an NMK official said.

Visitors to the joint exhibition will first encounter Chinese lacquer pieces, tracing their evolution from ancient times through the Ming (1368-1644) to the Qing (1636-1912) dynasties.

The exhibition particularly highlights China’s carved lacquer technique, which combines the skills of lacquer, painting and carving. Visitors can see works such as a Ming Dynasty-era table with a cloud design and a container with landscape and figure designs from the Qing Dynasty.