Craft
Width:21.7 x Height:20.4 x Diameter:21.7 (cm)
高:20.4,直徑:21.7,直徑(口):10.1,直徑(底):12,腹圍:65.7cm
Chen Huo-Ching (1914-2001, Taichung) was a master of lacquer art in Taiwan. After graduating from Chingshui Public School, he apprenticed at the Yamaka Lacquerware Studio in Taichung, where he trained in traditional lacquer techniques. Upon completing his studies, he remained at the studio as an artisan and later taught part-time at the Taichung Craft Training Institute, which eventually became a specialized craft school. Following World War II, Chen worked for the Air Force, where he was responsible for aircraft painting. After leaving this position due to health issues and personal loss, he devoted himself fully to lacquerware creation at home. In the 1960s, a peak period for Taiwan’s lacquerware exports to Japan, Chen served as a technical consultant to lacquerware companies and founded his own firm to fulfill Japanese commissions. From 1984 onward, he contributed extensively to the education and promotion of lacquer art, serving as an instructor at the Taiwan Provincial Handicraft Research Institute and the National Palace Museum. His contributions to the industry were highly influential, and in 1998, he was recognized by the Ministry of Education as a Master of Important Folk Art.
This bottle features a flat round mouth, short neck, broad shoulders, and a rounded body that tapers toward a flat base. It was formed using the jia-zhu (lacquerware with ramie cloth) technique, where a clay core is layered with cloth and lacquer, then removed before final decoration. The interior is coated in black lacquer. The exterior is finished using the hsi-p’i (rhinoceros-skin lacquer) technique, which begins by sweeping lacquer-ash across the surface with a tool to create a textured relief. This is followed by repeated applications of black, yellow, and red lacquer. After polishing, the surface reveals a lustrous, smooth finish with interwoven, brilliantly mottled patterns—rich in both depth and color.
Accession number:20170300264