The production of carved lacquer in China has a history of at least 1,500 years, and the carved lacquer works are simple and solemn in shape, exquisitely decorated, and have the characteristics of moisture-proof, heat-resistant, acid-resistant, non-deformation and non-deterioration, and many exquisite works have appeared in long-term development.
In ancient carved lacquer products, the main colors are red and green, so carving paint is also called "red removal". In 2006, the art of carving and lacquer production was included in the national intangible cultural heritage protection list.
The skills of the national style are passed down from generation to generation
Carving lacquer began in the Tang Dynasty, flourished in the Song and Yuan Dynasties, flourished in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, and now has a thousand-year history. Historically, lacquerware has always been the royal object of the court, as a variety of lacquerware, carved lacquer is more elaborate than other lacquerware materials, more complex craftsmanship, and more noble. Its far-reaching history, superb craftsmanship, rich cultural connotations and unique art forms have made it the main utensils for the furnishing of the royal interior.
"Tang Poetry: Five Throne Screens". Collection of Huafang Art Center, Beijing
According to the location and performance of the place of origin, the paint used in the carving paint can be divided into two types: "western lacquer" and "southern lacquer". "Western lacquer" is mainly in Shanxi and Shaanxi, and "southern lacquer" is best produced in Sichuan, Hunan, Fujian and Guizhou. The lacquer used in Beijing carving lacquer is mainly based on "western lacquer" with light pigment, large transparency, and convenient blending of various colors, and is only used as the "cover paint" on the outside of the utensils for carving. The fading paint inside the utensils is mostly made of "southern paint" with deep color, thick hanging paint and not easy to wrinkle. "Western lacquer" and "southern lacquer", the surface conjunctiva is faster, dryness is strong, suitable for the continental climate of Beijing, convenient for the production of carving and lacquer technology.
In the Tang Dynasty, carved lacquer products became more and more exquisite, mostly as gifts or rewards; by the Song Dynasty, the development of carving lacquer technology showed a delicate and elegant cultural atmosphere. After the continuous efforts and accumulation of the previous generation, the carving paint of the Yuan Dynasty has developed greatly, and everyone has frequently appeared. Among them, the carving and lacquer masters Zhang Cheng and Yang Mao carved the paintings of the Tang and Song dynasties on lacquerware, forming a new language and expression of carving and lacquer craftsmanship.
During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the carving and lacquer process became more and more prosperous, and a large number of exquisite carved lacquer products were produced. During this period, Beijing's carving and lacquer modeling was solemn and generous, the carving techniques were mature and vigorous, the pattern was rigorous and delicate, graceful and luxurious, and full of changes. Especially in the performance of the character image, indoor and outdoor scenery level depth, there is a unique effect.
Beijing Huafang Carving Lacquer Art Design Co., Ltd., formerly known as Beijing Carving and Lacquer Factory, is a typical representative of Beijing carving lacquer in the new era by inheriting the craftsmanship of the Ming and Qing dynasties and innovating at the same time.
"Hollow Flower Basket Plate". Collection of Huafang Art Center, Beijing
Exquisite craftsmanship in one go
In the "Zhuangzi Heaven and Earth Chapter", it is said: "Those who can have artists are also skilled."
It can be seen that art comes from skill. Technology is the means of creation, and it is also the carrier of the beauty of creation. Zhuangzi believed that under certain conditions, skill is the embodiment of the Tao, and this Tao is the highest state of creation culture that "meets god rather than sees, and officials know and god wants to act". As a craft of creation, carving lacquer requires exquisite skill, and sometimes this skill is itself the embodiment of art. In the process of carving paint production, process design is also an important part, the overall arrangement of various techniques in the process of carving paint, consider whether the process can achieve the effect of modeling and pattern design, and plan in advance to determine what kind of process to use for carving.
"Jade Kettle Spring Bottle". Collection of Huafang Art Center, Beijing
There are two kinds of carved paint, metal tires and non-metal tires, the former is enamel or lacquer, and the latter is lacquer. The paint is coated layer by layer, with dozens of layers and as many as three or five hundred layers. Applying a layer of paint needs to be placed in the manhole to dry before applying a second layer, which can also be applied twice a day. Then, with a knife instead of writing, according to the design draft, carving relief patterns such as landscapes, flowers, and figures. The paint used is mainly vermilion, yellow, green, black and other background colors, divided into red, yellow, green, color, color, and other crafts.
In fact, there are more than these, carving paint to go through the design, tire making, burning blue, making the ground, painting, painting, carving, polishing, making, making the old ten processes, of which carving is the most important and the most difficult process. A high-level engraving technician takes more than ten years of training. The representative inheritor of the national intangible cultural heritage carving and lacquer technology said that no matter how complex the image encountered, the carving worker should have a knife in place, not a heavy knife, otherwise it will be a failure.
"Golden Cicada Furnace". Collection of Huafang Art Center, Beijing
Because the hardness of the paint is not high after drying, it is necessary to engrave the knife to be thin and the knife to be fast, otherwise the smooth line cannot be carved. Depending on the engraving technique, the tools are different. The painter will make different tools according to the characteristics of the pattern, and each tool has a different way of using it. For example, the flat knife will not go down because of the angle problem in the film, so there must be a machete with different angles. When doing the work of shoveling, in order to avoid blocking the work, the tool must be changed, and a specific knife needs to be made according to the pattern.
The beauty of carving lacquer is inseparable from life
As a decorative technique, the greater significance of carving lacquer is to beautify the utensils and improve their added value, and the carving lacquer ornament is the most direct means to increase the aesthetics of the utensils. Carved lacquer ornamentation is a general term for decorative patterns on utensils, which is divided into main body and matching land. The main body refers to the pattern of the theme expression in the form of relief, also known as "getting started"; the land is the part outside the main picture, depicting the scenery of heaven, earth, water and so on, also known as "jindi" or "starting".
"Wangshan" copper tire red interstitial screen. Collection of Huafang Art Center, Beijing
After more than a thousand years of development, creative design has long become the soul of carving and lacquer art. Excellent styling design can enhance the decorative effect, which requires extensive knowledge accumulation and profound artistic accomplishment.
The engraving artist learns from nature, draws materials from nature and daily life, uses the top surface, side and other large surfaces of the utensils as decorative positions, carries out thematic carving creation, and further expands the theme of carving lacquer ornamentation. At present, the pattern theme of Beijing Huafang carving lacquer is mainly based on humanistic stories and auspicious patterns such as landscape figures, flowers and birds, dragons and phoenixes, and the main content is often filled with echoes and cloud patterns, so that it not only has aesthetic characteristics, but also has functionality.
"Landscape" copper tire red incense. Collection of Huafang Art Center, Beijing
In recent years, influenced by the development trend of arts and crafts, many carving and lacquer artists hope to enter the market as artists, and this recognition has made carving lacquer works develop into pure works of art. However, if you are separated from life itself, the carving paint will gradually lose its direction and lose its own essence. Nowadays, Beijing Carving Lacquer, represented by Beijing Huafang Carving Lacquer Art Design Co., Ltd., is seriously learning from tradition, tracing back to the roots, and at the same time applying traditional Chinese patterns and Western modern design theory to carving and lacquer design. From the technical to the decorative, and then to the spiritual level, "Huafang" advocates a comprehensive understanding and understanding of the essence of carved lacquer design, improves the quality of carved lacquer works with rational and scientific methods, and better meets the functional and aesthetic requirements of contemporary people. (Text/Jiang Hua)