RYŪKYŪ ROUND LACQUERED BOX | CHROMATIC REINTEGRATION METHODOLOGY

Abstract

An exemplar from the Ryūkyū Islands (Japan), this red lacquer circular box dates from c.1590 and is part of the collection of the National Museum of Ancient Art (MNAA) - Lisbon, Portugal [1-2]. The conservation and restoration intervention carried out at the José de Figueiredo Laboratory (LJF), considering its state of conservation with a high risk of lacquer detachment and consequent loss of a large part of the decorative elements, allowed the study and definition of methodologies, including in the treatment of chromatic reintegration [3].  Its condition, the type of intervention, as well as its subsequent placement on display, motivated the reintegration method chooses and its application, which aimed to improve the reading and decorative understanding of the box. The use of extra-fine quality gouache in the mimetic reintegration executed ensured the necessary compatibility and stability with its constituent materials.