Hand-painting on lacquer: the finicky nature of the material is the biggest challenge.

The flourishing of lacquer art is closely linked to the lacquer painting tradition and the names of many "great masters" of Vietnamese fine arts such as Nguyen Gia Tri, Pham Hau, Hoang Tich Chu... The generation of artists who graduated from the prestigious Indochina Fine Arts School helped Vietnamese lacquer art develop and created a "golden age" in the 1930s and 1940s of the 20th century.

After many hardships in trying to regain its former glory, Vietnamese lacquerware is now receiving special attention, partly due to the media frenzy following its appearances at prestigious international auction houses. But much of the interest stems from the story behind this traditional art form, considered a "typical representative" of Vietnamese fine art, a form that is both inspiring and highly elaborate.

Today, lacquerware is no longer confined to the realm of fine arts, but has entered daily life with increasingly diverse applications, making this art form, once considered synonymous with the royal court and the "gilded and lacquered" style of the past, more accessible. Inheriting the essence of traditional craftsmanship, the high-end lacquerware brand Hanoia creates modern lacquerware products such as vases, tea boxes, trays, Tet jam boxes, and many other unique creations.

To understand the complexity of lacquerware, one must grasp the typical processes involved in its creation. Simply put, lacquerware comprises two main stages: applying layers of lacquer and repeatedly sanding to achieve the desired colorfastness, color, or effect. Specifically, a Hanoia lacquerware product undergoes dozens of different stages, from shaping the product (using materials such as wood, MDF, or synthetic fibers), applying the base coat, lining, wet sanding, color application, color sanding, light sanding, gloss coating, and polishing. Furthermore, depending on the design and the developer's wishes, additional decorative techniques may be applied to enhance aesthetics and increase the product's value.

Over the years, Hanoia has developed a diverse collection of colors along with a series of unique lacquer techniques such as eggshell inlay, mother-of-pearl inlay, silver and gold leaf application, carving, and hand-painting. Mr. Ty, the master craftsman of Hanoia's lacquer workshop, is the one who understands each technique best. He shared: "There are new colors that we have to research, mix, and experiment with for months before we find the exact language we want." Thanks to him, Hanoia can completely transform unique design ideas into reality.

Meticulous craftsmanship, careful planning, patience, and a passion for the art of lacquerware are essential elements that enable artists and artisans to seamlessly collaborate in creating perfect lacquerware products for consumers.

"The meticulousness and dedication, careful planning, along with patience and passion for lacquerware, are essential elements that enable artists and artisans to work seamlessly together to create perfect lacquerware products for consumers."

The difference between ordinary and high-end lacquerware lies in the meticulousness and craftsmanship of the production process. The more layers of lacquer applied, the more durable and beautiful the product becomes, and therefore its value increases. Furthermore, the techniques used also determine the value and high quality of the product, with silver and gold leaf application and hand-painting considered among the most advanced techniques.

When it comes to hand-painting on lacquer, this technique requires the artist to double their planning in order to realistically and vividly reproduce original paintings, whether on paper or in a digital environment. The most skilled and experienced artists often share that the biggest challenge in hand-painting lies in the smooth surface of the lacquer. This characteristic makes it more difficult for the lacquer to adhere properly, especially when dealing with shades of light and dark; on paper, the artist can adjust these by diluting the colors or adjusting the brush pressure to create the desired shades…

As for lacquer painting, during the painting process, the artist needs to be creative and adaptable to recreate those shades through different colors and techniques. For paintings with many details and using many colors, the artist needs to calculate the order of the color blocks, which areas to paint first, which areas to paint later…in order to apply color blocking – the process where the artist applies decals around the details and brushstrokes.

After painting one area and waiting for the paint to dry, the artist removes the paint mask and moves on to other areas. This process of masking, painting, and waiting for the paint to dry is repeated many times until the entire surface of the painting is complete. This meticulousness and attention to detail means that it can take up to a month to complete a hand-painted lacquer artwork.

Therefore, the observation that lacquerware is finicky is not wrong at all. And for that reason, hand-painted lacquerware products always receive affection and are highly sought after. This is also the technique that many prestigious brands and fashion houses around the world use when developing lacquerware products - which are widely accepted globally, especially among connoisseurs in Europe.

In Vietnam, Hanoia is the most prominent name when it comes to high-end lacquerware products. Enhance your luxurious living space with premium lacquerware products that bear a distinctive mark.

Phuong Mai is a reporter for Travellive Magazine in Hanoi.

Phuong Mai