Burmese Lacquer Trinket Box 02

This is a black lacquer and gold leaf Burmese trinket box from the 1920s/30s. On the lid and sides in black quatrefoils are gold chinthe, a highly stylized leogryph (lion-like creature) typical of Burmese iconography. Surrounding this on the lid and on the main band on the body, are gold vines of chu-pan foliage. The box’s base is raised on three feet giving it an elegant profile. This gold leaf lacquerware is called Shwe-zaqa - it is less time consuming to produce than the more common yun ware, but is just as demanding artistically. First, on a highly polished lacquer surface, the artist carefully blocks off the areas not to be gilded with a covering of orpiment and the gum of the neem tree. By so doing, he creates a negative design for the application of gold. Then a coat of fresh lacquer is placed on the blank areas and the entire surface of the object is covered with gold leaf. When the newly lacquered areas are almost dry, the surface is washed with water. Gold on the areas covered by orpiment is washed away, revealing a brilliant gold design on a shiny lacquer background. The object is then allowed to dry in a special cellar.