Aventurine Lacquer-Work , less costly than the foregoing, is met occasionally in large cabinets, coffers, and other articles. A more unfinished preparation serves also as a lining or base for most other varieties. This stated, we may proceed to consider its most important applications.

The meaning of the term should first of all be clearly defined. If everybody is not familiar with aventurine quartz, we have all at least seen the magnificent substance invented in Venice, in imitation of this precious stone, the rich red dish-brown colour of which is lighted up by the bright and metallic mica particles spangling its entire mass. Such is the effect of the genuine aventurine lacquer ware. The gold disseminated throughout the several layers, and covered with varnish, is deadened in proportion to its depth, so that the particles nearest the surface alone glitter. Hence, the object no longer appears carved out of an opaque substance, and the eye seems to penetrate its depth, as it would that of a clouded gem. On aventurine are designed the same subjects in gold relief as on the previous variety, with which are also associated the finest specimens. In the one, the gold is reserved for the interior details; in the other, the gold ground is on the outside, while the trays and boxes concealed within are in aventurine.

The quality of the workmanship establishes such differences in this description of ware, that Julliot, the refined connoisseur of the eighteenth century, was enabled to recognise three varieties: aventurine in gros-grains d'or, the common aventurine, and deep-toned aventurine. This- latter, less strewn with sparkling points, and of a more ordinary make, is found in large pieces of furniture, screens, and the front or lining of coffers; the second is the typical variety; and the first, the richest and most carefully treated. Julliot also distinguished a fourth description, which he called "aventurine nuancee," or shaded. In this beautiful and rare variety, the metallic stippling disappears at intervals under a cloud of gold irregularly blended with the mass.

Black Lacquer. This is true lacquer, employed for all manner of articles from the most marvellous jewel work to the commonest objects and most ordinary pieces of furniture. Great care is needed to distinguish between the nationality of some specimens, as black lacquer-work has been produced everywhere. The Japanese ware is distinguished by the number of its coatings, and the perfection of its polish, which is "non poisseux," not pitchy, producing the effect rather of a metal than a varnish. The illusion is enhanced by the delicacy of the reliefs in gold, certain pieces looking like burnished iron incrusted with native gold.

Block lacquer work, with gold design in relief. Ancient workmanship.

Black lacquer combines with all the other varieties, blending by insensible transitions with them. One kind, stippled with regularly spaced gold spots, bears a sufficiently close resemblance to the sky of a starlight night, to justify our describing it as "de fond constelle."It leads gradually to aventurine without quite resembling it. Another class, in which the gold specks are very minute and close together, is said to be "gold dusted." Lastly, when the powdering is partially clouded, it forms the variety "shaded in gold" allied to the shaded aventurine. The essential difference between the aven-turines and the more or less stippled black wares, is that the spots of the latter are worked on the surface, and not in the varnish, and that, however closely strewn, the black ground always shows clearly through the metallic dots. Aventurine, on the contrary, is always fawn-coloured.

The rarest kind of black Japanese lacquer-work, is that known as "mirror lacquer" (laquc miroir). In order the better to show it in all its perfection, it never receives any ornamental work. Scarcely less rare is a variety approaching it in the purity of its varnish, but the decoration of which is a mystery to us : on the surface are brought out the details of plants executed in gold, with the most delicate reliefs. Then, according as the stems sink in, the reliefs disappear, the details vanish, and the whole continues to fade away, as might an object immersed in a liquid, and gradually obliterated by the depth and absence of light. Shall we call it "laque profond?" Though even this expression is very far from conveying an adequate idea of its character.

The "laquc use" or polished shows designs in gold, neatly finished with much detail, but without any relief, so that the surface is like a mirror, perfectly smooth and even to the touch. In Japan this description was occasionally embellished with colours. In China it is common enough with modern objects, which can be readily recognised by their careless execution and the weakness of the varnish.

Black lacquer has been applied to every conceivable object, from furniture, panels, folding-screens, tables, seats, and stands, to the daintiest artistic conceptions, such as fruits, flowers, figures, armorial bearings, animals. As just stated, articles of Chinese workmanship may be known by the feebleness of the gold work, which is more diluted and lacking in warmth, while the ground is less polished, betraying the proximity of the wood. When it was customary to bespeak such work, black lacquer-ware was produced in China with scenes scarcely varnished over and everywhere betraying marks of haste and cheap workmanship.

To the Chinese is due the blending of various tones with black. In the Louvre may be seen bowls of the Kia-thsing period of the Ming dynasty (1522-1 560), on which a red-brown forms arabesque medallions raised on the ground. These are the bowls of which mention is made of their six coatings of varnish. Of somewhat frequent occurrence are the green and chamois or buff lacquer works, a mere variety of colour following in order the description just spoken of.

Red lacquer seems peculiar to Japan, and the small specimens met with are nearly always of a pure bright colour, and-the ornamental parts very carefully executed. These are choice little cups, their striking character imparting light and cheerfulness to the surroundings. Red lacquer was known to the older generations of art collectors, and attempts seem to have been made at imitating it, such expressions occurring in the inventories as "vrai lacq rouge," with the additions of ancient and ordinary, implying, if not two sources, at least two varieties.

Indian red Laeqaer work. (Formerly in the Jules Boilly Collection.).

Red coarsely applied with a brush to roughly prepared wood often forms the linings of the Siamese and Persian lacquer-ware. In the latter country a somewhat rare and granulated red lacquer has been embellished with fine arabesques and bouquets in gold and blackish brown. We have also met it on the reverse of handsome screens in black burgaute lacquer.

Xyloid lacquer is a Japanese variety, which imitates the grain of a wood frequently employed for small objects and the more delicate boxes of the country. It is found forming the border of black lacquer panels, or in little barrel-shaped boxes, the ends of which bear the figure of the three powers.

Burgaute or nacreous lacquer. In the art world the name of "burgau" is applied to mother of pearl, because before ocean navigation brought us the "haliotis" (Venus' ear) and "pintadines" of India and America, a shell called burgau supplied the iridescent material used in art. The word has survived the altered conditions.

Most of the eastern nations have applied mother of pearl to black lacquer ware; hence the mode of treatment and the style of the ornamentation can alone enable us to distinguish the nationality. In Japan mother-of-pearl is often used to heighten the effect of the most delicate black lacquer-work. In this case it is introduced very sparingly, serving to trace the stalks of bamboo, or else crowning bright golden bouquets with microscopic flowers sculptured in relief. Quite a special variety is the burgaute lacquer applied to porcelain, on which the Japanese lavish surprising skill and patience. The perfection and execution of these chatoyant mosaics, raised on a lovely black ground, well deserve the admiration they excite.

In China and Annam similar mosaics are executed on wood, but much less delicately, and with an inferior appreciation of design. The Chinese heighten the effect of their work by colouring the reverse of the mother of pearl plaques with bright tints. To Cochin China are mostly referred the specimens on which the principal medallions are framed with broad borders or partial grounds pebbled (cailloutes) with burgau, that is, composed of irregular pieces placed side by side in the black varnish. Nevertheless, there are found Japanese cabinets similarly treated, but in which the "cailloute" is much more delicate, and almost as close, as it is no less than a shower of burgau.

The Persian and Indian nacreous lacquer wares are distinguished mainly by the costumes of the figures, in other respects being marked by features common to both. The borders show a rich composition, around which run elegant inscriptions, while the ground, covered with floriated branches, dense as the vegetation of a primaeval forest, reveals figures in armour and mounted on elephants pursuing the pleasures of the chase, or else men and women squatting down and drinking the forbidden liquid or playing on diverse instruments. This latter subject adorns more especially the wedding coffers of Persian workmanship. The figures are simply cut out in outline, in the mother-of-pearl, but the execution is so exact that there is movement throughout, and this seems, viewed at a distance, to have a singular animation.

Indian mother-of-pearl lacquer work. (Formerly in the Jules Boilly Collection.).