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Of all the handicrafts in Myanmar, the most distinctive of all is lacquerware. It is the most widely produced and used; most households in the country use lacquerware as everyday objects. In central Myanmar, the centre of lacquerware manufacturing is Bagan. In Myinkaba Village alone, about 600 households manufacture lacquerware. In the past, Burmese royalty gave lacquer objects to foreign emissaries as gifts and today, visitors need not be an emissary to get their hands on quality lacquerware because many stores sell it in Bagan

Lacquer products go way back in the history of Myanmar, back until the 11th century AD. This kind of arts and crafts has been practiced for a very long time and some antique artwork is in famous Museums in Myanmar, too.Artwork ranges from Buddha images to household items and everything in between

Indigo Bowl Birds Lacquer on Horsehair

Not all Bagan people now how to make lacquerware but it has been a part of their culture and this practice has been passed down from generation to generation. This is the reason why up to this day, lacquerware products are continuously being sold in Myanmar.

There is even a lacquerware training school that is being sponsored by the Department of Home Industry. Indeed, Myanmar sees a great future for this art.

The art of lacquerware came to Burma via Yunnan in China in the 1st century A.D. Raw lacquer is tapped from the thitsie trees much the same way as latex is removed from rubber trees.

There are many different kinds of lacquerware. From the most common ones is the plain Lacquerware – this is also known as Kyauk Kar. This is made of wood such as bamboo alongside lacquerware resin. This has only two colors which are red and black. Most products made from this kind of lacquerware are trays, cups, boxes and chests. You can find a lot in Myanmar markets all over the area for very low prices.

Incised Lacquerware – this is more commonly known as Yun. The framework is wood and many coatings are applied to follow. An iron stylus is used to engrave design on the surface. Once the incisions are done, they are covered with different colors such as orange, blue, green, white, yellow and so on and so forth. The main purpose of Yun is to create ornaments or decorations. You can check out amazingly designed flower vases, chests, bangles and other lacquerware items in the public markets of Myanmar.

We saw two types being made today. The first and more expensive option, using a bamboo and horse hair frame, used for items requiring greater flexibility and durability. The second using a wooden base. The basic structure is coated with a layer of lacquer and clay, then put in a cool place to dry.

Gilt Lacquerware –this is more commonly known in Myanmar as Shwezawa. This kind of lacquerware is filled up with gold on the surface where the incisions are placed. Thus, it is more expensive. Some artists even place in there real gold. In the ancient times, these kinds of lacquerware were only used for Buddhist shrines.

Glass Mosaic Lacquerware –this is more commonly known as Hmansi Shwe Cha Yun. Pieces of glass are cut and colored and laid on top of the lacquerware. There are a lot of skilful craftsmen who can create beautiful and one of a kind designs with the use of glass and paint.

The Burmese straw-colored lacquer derives from a wild growing Burmese tree and turns black when exposed to air. Lacquer vessels, boxes and trays have a coiled or woven bamboo strip base often mixed with horsehair (no glue is used). The lacquer is mixed with ash to form a rubber-like substance which can be formed. The object is coated layer upon layer with lacquer and lacquer-ash mixtures to make a smooth surface and an – after a long drying period – object which is hard as stone

Every layer of lacquer has to dry in a cellar for about a week. Depending on the quality of the item, it takes incredibly 20 to 100 layers of lacquer before it is polished and engraved free-handed with intricate designs, commonly using red, green and yellow – the Burmese colors – on a red or black background.The finished product is a result of teamwork for months or years and not crafted by a single person.

Text: InternetPictures: Sanda Foişoreanu & InternetCopyright: All the images belong to their authors

Presentation: Sanda Foişoreanu www.slideshare.net/michaelasanda

Sound: Rakhine song