Lacquer painting as a medium in the category of fine art painting is relatively new.  As a separate genre it was developed by the Vietnamese artists in 1930’s, in the environment of the newly established French institution – University of Fine Arts. Bringing together classical European and Asian painting styles within this unique medium, known as sơn mài in Vietnamese, local artists achieved international recognition and continue working today to develop and promote this unique art form.

Lacquer as a medium to produce a painting comes in a form of sap from tree species called Rhus Succedanea, or Son tree in Vietnamese. The sap is collected only from trees which are 10 years or older, and only between midnight and dawn, in order to prevent the sap being exposed to sunlight. Collected sap is stored in tightly covered, large bamboo barrels for several months in a cool, dark, well-aired place until different elements of a product separate into three major layers. A reddish brown lacquer, the least sticky, can be mixed with pigments, layered with silver leaf or egg shells, to create a lacquer painting. Another layer is so called raw lacquer, which is used in a process of making wooden boards for the painting. The stickier and darker layer, of yellowish brown color can be stirred with iron sticks and stored in iron containers to obtain a black, glossy substance known as black lacquer.