East Meets West - The Influence of Lacquerware
Lacquer, a luxury item from China and Japan strongly influenced art produced both in Mexico and in New England. In Asia, lacquer, the sap of the lac tree, is purified, then applied to a wooden surface. Under the appropriate conditions, it dries very hard and has a glossy finish as shiny as porcelain. Artists in Mexico and in the British colonies copied this technique in their work.

Decoration
This coffer is decorated all over with engraved black patterns against the bright red or vermilion background. Some are animal forms, others are rippling, scroll-like leaf patterns. The keyhole and handles are silver.

 

Decoration
This magnificent high chest is decorated with scenes of landscapes with pagodas, real and imaginary animals, plants and flowers. European motifs include the large shells, the columns, and the angel-like figures at the top.

 

Technique
In Mexico, before the Spanish Conquest, artists in the modern state of Michoacan produced lacquer ware for their rulers. Goods imported from China reinforced and influenced this tradition.

Technique
Artists in the colonies read English treatises about a technique called "japanning" that imitated lacquer. They combined bright red and black paints to imitate tortoiseshell, then applied clear resins and more paint to create a lustrous surface. Here, the cast raised figures were decorated with paint and with gold and silver leaf and powders.

 

Function
This small coffer with a rounded lid was used to store valuables.

Function
A high chest of drawers, a furniture form more popular in the colonies than in England, was used to store clothes.

Home | The Collectors | Franz Mayer | Ima Hogg | The Collections | The Museums | Bayou Bend | Franz Mayer Museum
Exhibition | Collectors and their Collections | For Teachers | Cultural Exchange | For Families | Timeline | About this Website | Site Map
Museum of Fine Arts Houston | College of Education, UH