Burmese Lacquer Tray

Crafted in early 20th-century Burma, this round tray is cloaked in layer upon layer of brilliant red-orange cinnabar lacquer. Decorated in a style known as "yun" ware, the lacquer finish was finely etched with intricate line work and a pattern of trailing vines. These lines were then filled with colored pigments, as evidenced by traces of the bowl's original gold decoration. Possibly originally one layer of a stacking box, this decorative tray remains stunning to this day, its surface now richly aged from a century of use.