Vase

A fascination with Asian lacquered metalwork sparked Dunand's interest in working with natural lacquer, a material that differs substantially from the imitation lacquer varnishes that had been produced in Europe since the seventeenth century. Dunand initially used transparent lacquer to protect the delicate patinas of his dinanderie wares but soon experimented with the decorative possibilities of more advanced lacquer techniques. A particular specialty was the production of eggshell lacquer, an ancient Japanese technique traditionally used for small-scale objects. The painstaking process involved placing tiny particles of crushed eggshell, piece by piece, into a layer of fresh lacquer. This aspect of his business became so successful that Dunand maintained his own flock of chickens to provide eggshells of suitable quality and color.