SHELL INLAY: THE RADIANCE OF TRADITION AND CRAFTSMANSHIP

Shell inlay is a refined decorative art that began in ancient China and later influenced cultures in Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. It involves carefully cutting and polishing natural shells, then embedding them into wood, lacquer, metal, or porcelain to form intricate designs. Highly valued in Eastern art, this meticulous process reflects a deep appreciation for nature and beauty. Chinese shell inlay reached its peak during the Ming and Qing dynasties, known for detailed depictions of flowers, landscapes, and figures. These shimmering artworks blend natural materials with masterful technique, preserving cultural heritage through their elegance and luminous charm.
  • 7 intricate techniques

  • 19 meticulous steps

  • 30-day production cycle

  • 1.Design Planning

  • 2.Polish the Shell

  • 3.Cut the Shell Pieces

  • 4.Hand-Inlay the Shell

  • 5.Hand-Paint the Details

  • 6.Apply and Polish Lacquer

THE MOTHER-OF-PEARL INLAYS OF CHINA

Nishioka Yasuhiro, Dong Dan (Translator)

Abstrct: Traditional Chinese lacquerware include plain lacquerware painted solely with monochrome lacquer finishes such as vermillion or black as well as those undergone processing techniques including carving, mother-ofpearl inlays, engraved-gold decorations, and gold-tracing lacquering. This article focus on the technique of mother-of-pearl inlays to specify and summarize the variation of their technical styles of different periods, with a special emphasis on Yuan-dynasty (1272-1368) lacquerware embellished with such inlays. The article first introduces and briefly discusses such lacquerware before the Yuan dynasty, summarizes the style and characteristics of the Yuan lacquerware of mother-of-pearl inlays so as to establish the distinctive “Yuan style”, and then analyzes and summarizes the technical styles of the mother-of-pearl-inlaid lacquerware of the late Yuan and early Ming dynasties. For such objects produced in the Ming dynasty, which lasted for as long as approximately 300 years, the article divided the period into two sections (early years and late years) to specify the characteristics of objects of this period. At last, Qing-dynasty (1644-1911) mother-of-pearl inlays are reviewed.

Key Words: China, lacquerware, mother-of-pearl inlays, the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties

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