Carved lacquer is usually called ‘cinnabar’ in the US, however, cinnabar merely means the red colored type, as we have here. This technique starts with a wood shape, and many coats of lacquer are applied until it is thick enough to carve. The first coats are black, so when the red is carved deeply, the background is in the black lacquer, adding contrast and depth. This piece is perfect, with no damage or repairs.
