lacquer

Endo period writing box with woodcutter designWriting box with woodcutter design, black and gold lacquer on wood with mother-of-pearl and pewter inlay in the style of Ogata Kōrin, 19th century, Endo period; in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City.

lacquer, colored and frequently opaque varnish applied to metal or wood, used in an important branch of decorative art, especially in Asia. Lac, a resinous secretion of certain scale insects, is the basis for some but not all lacquers. Lacquer in China and Japan is made from the sap of the Chinese lacquer tree (Toxicodendron vernicifluum, formerly Rhus vernicifera), which, cleaned of impurities, can be used in its natural state. One active constituent of the sap of the lacquer tree is urushiol (from urushi, the Japanese word for lacquer), a substance that can cause contact dermatitis if the lacquer touches the skin before it has cured. The cured lacquer produces a hard, glossy coating that is highly prized in traditional decorative arts. See also lacquerwork.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by Mindy Johnston.
Citation Information
Article Title: lacquer
Website Name: Encyclopaedia Britannica
Publisher: Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
Date Published: 19 August 2026
Access Date: November 13, 2026