Nature's bounty adds shine to artwork

Collecting lacquer sap from trees is carried out from March to October every year, with the temperature and their water content main factors to consider.

Cazeneuve must be careful with his work, as coming into contact with raw lacquer may cause allergies.

It can take some time for the tree sap to be completely drained. Dense forest can also block out natural light and sap collection may have to be carried out with headlamps. Cazeneuve is patient, harvesting the lacquer sap bit by bit.

Minerals need to be added to prepare colored lacquer, with cinnabar for red, realgar for yellow and titanium dioxide for white. After stirring, grinding and filtering, the colors can be stored for later use.