User:Thale.studio

Introduction

Lacquerware are objects decoratively covered with lacquer. Lacquerware includes small or large containers, tableware, a variety of small objects carried by people, and larger objects such as furniture and even coffins painted with lacquer. Before lacquering, the surface is sometimes painted with pictures, inlaid with shell and other materials or carved. The lacquer can be dusted with gold or silver and given further decorative treatments.

East Asian countries have long traditions of lacquer work, going back several thousand years in the cases of China and Japan. The best known lacquer, an urushiol-based lacquer common in East Asia, is derived from the dried sap of Toxicodendron verniciflum. Other types of lacquers are processed from a variety of plants and insects. The traditions of lacquer work in Southeast Asia and the Americas are also ancient and originated independently. True lacquer is not made outside Asia, but some imitations, such as Japanning in Europe or parallel techniques, are often loosely referred to a "lacquer" (Wikipedia the free encyclopedia, 2017).

History

Thai lacquerware is the container that used the structure such as weaving machine and wood. It is covered with lacquer varnish to make it stronger, resist the water and humidity. It also helps to enhance the aesthetic into the lacquerware. The lacquer varnish is usually applied in multiple layers. In the first layer, they usually apply it to strengthen the lacquerware then apply more layer of lacquer varnish to make a smoother surface. The last layer of lacquer varnish is applied for the pattern decoration and make lacquerware become more beautiful.

In the present day, they use different kinds of wood as the material to make lacquerware, e.g. teak wood, resin wood, mango tree, almond wood, and plywood.

The shape of lacquerware is usually inspired by nature elements such as animal, plant, geometric shape, and Thai culture pattern. It has the function depending on the user to use it the way that they want.

Lacquerware has the characteristic of being lightweight, flexible, use local material, simple decoration, and also answer to the needs of daily life. All of these characteristics express and represent the culture and knowledge of the Thai people in the past.

Types of Thai lacquerware

There are several types of lacquerware that have been used for different functions and purposes by itself. This can be classified into six types.

“Pung/ปุง” is the container that uses a weaving structure similar to Thai sticky rice container with the square bottom shape. It is also attached with the lid to close the container similar to a jar. The overall shape of “Pung” is in a fat oval shape. The function of “pung” is usually to carry and collect the plant seed and personal things.

“Betsal bowl/ขันหมาก หรือ เชี่ยนหมาก” In the past, the betsal bowl was used to represent hierarchy position in Thai society. Betsal bowl is used to welcome the guest when they arrive at the owner’s home. The betsal bowl has the bamboo weaving structure. It has a shape of big box to contain betel leaf. Inside the Betsal bowl also provide other small containers to keep the other chewing goods. The Betsal bowl is usually decorated with the Thai drawing pattern.

“Kantok/ขันตอก” is a kind of wooden utensil in northern Thailand. The character of kantoke usually has a tall base believed to be influenced by the Chinese style plate made from earthenware but kantoke has the base in the shape of a lotus. Kantoke is usually used to contain flower, incense stick, and candle for the purpose of Buddhism ceremony. In some places, Kantok is used to contain sacrificial offering in the important ceremony.

“Kandok/ ขันดอกไม้กลึง หรือ ขันซี่, ขันตีนถี่” the function of Kantoke is similar to kantoke to contain flower, incense stick, and candle for the purpose of religious ceremony. Kandok got its influence from Khun people. It has a very outstanding character that is a connection structure between the tray itself with the wooden base structure. Usually Kandok does not have much decoration details like Kantoke.

“Kantoke/ ขันโตก” has the similar structure and material as Kantok but it is different in size, decoration, and function from each other. For normal people, Kantoke is usually used to contain food but for high rank society people and monk, it usually has a bigger size and it comes along with a lid to cover Kantoke. This kind of kantoke is usually used for the religious ceremony, e.g. teacher’s day observation, rice offering ceremony, and offering given as alms for monk in Buddhism.

“Kanao/ ขันโอ” the container has the development from bamboo wicker basket. Using as the container to keep different kinds of stuff for the religious ceremony. The shape of Kanao is similar to small wicker basket covered with lacquer varnish. The outside has black color and inside is red. Kanao comes with a small grip to allow the rope to attach with Kanao.

References

Thammasat Museum of Anthropology. (2017, September 27). Retrieved from http://museum.socanth.tu.ac.th: http://museum.socanth.tu.ac.th/2017/09/27/%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%84%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B7%E0%B9%88%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%87%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%82%E0%B8%B4%E0%B8%99/

Wikipedia the free encyclopedia. (2017, December 27). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lacquerware: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lacquerware