AIC's 53rd Annual Meeting

Leisure Time is a largescale (320cm x 160cm) four-piece lacquer-on-wood panel painting created by Hawaiian-Vietnamese artist Tim Nguyễn in 2008.  In just 14 years, the painting exhibited unique discoloration on the surface, with bright yellows turning to dull browns, bright greens fading to dark greens, and oranges shifting to browns. While much information on Asian Lacquer exists, there is limited published research on the relationship between the materials and techniques when used as a painting medium and their degradation mechanisms. In 2023, one panel of the painting was transported from the artist’s studio in Hawaii to the Garman Art Conservation Department at SUNY Buffalo State University for research to study the materials, process of painting, and conservation possibilities.

Vietnamese lacquer, known as laccol, is derived from the sap of Toxicodendron succedaneum, a species in the Anacardiaceae family, which also includes the lacquer trees found in Japan, China, Thailand, and Burma. Lacquer is a unique substance that cures only under high humidity conditions through polymerization. While freshly made lacquer is highly durable, aged lacquer films become sensitive to light and sudden changes in humidity. Vietnamese lacquer painting, known as sơn mài, may be described as a form of reverse painting, consisting of as many as 10-20 layers. Lacquer is an art of uncertainty, as each layer can take days or even months to fully cure. By combining the lacquer with various additives, such as oils and resins, artists achieve a wide range of textures. The final image is created by carefully sanding back these layers of paint. In addition to pigments, lacquer artists use playful materials like metal leaves, mother of pearl, and shells to create depth, transparency, and intricate patterns. Traditional restoration techniques often involve using the same type of lacquer; however, these methods are irreversible and tend to age at a different rate than the original lacquer. Moreover, lacquer sap is highly toxic and can cause allergic reactions similar to those triggered by poison ivy.

The current study analyzed the materials and layer structure of the painting, via several analytical techniques. These included multimodal imaging, x-radiography, infrared reflectography, cross-sectional analysis, scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. Lacquer samples were further analyzed using THM-Py/GC-MS following Getty’s Recent Advances in Characterizing Asian Lacquer protocol. Mockup lacquer samples were custom-created, light-aged, and subjected to sea salt in an attempt to replicate the discoloration observed in the original artwork. An artist interview with Tim Nguyễn was also conducted.

The results of the research indicated that photodegradation due to light exposure combined with arsenic-containing pigments was the primary cause of the color changes in the painting. Aged samples also showed the migration of silver ions to the lacquer surface when exposed to light, where they reacted with sulfur-containing pigments forming inclusions on the lacquer surface. In examining conservation techniques, the use of traditional transparent lacquer is irreversible and unstable. It is possible that a modern synthetic varnish may be used as a coating on lacquer paintings. While more study is needed, an initial test of several conservation grade varnish formulations, including MS2A, Regalrez 1094, and Paraloid B72 was conducted and exhibited promising results.