Investigation of the Conservation and Materials of Japan-Made Lacquered Door Panels at Wat Ratchapradit, a First-Grade Royal Temple in Thailand
Wat Ratchapradit, located in Bangkok, Thailand, is a first-grade Royal temple founded by King Rama IV in 1864. Since the temple’s foundation, the double-door openings of the windows and entrances of the ordination hall have been adorned with many lacquered panels made in Japan. Mother-of-pearl inlay with underpainting and colored lacquer maki-e were used to apply motifs such as flowers and birds, as well as Chinese legends, on these panels, which are highly decorative. Over time, deterioration has been detected on the panels, and therefore the Fine Arts Department of the Ministry of Culture of Thailand has been restoring them. TOBUNKEN has provided technical assistance for the restoration and conducted studies on the panels.
To maintain the solemn atmosphere of the ordination hall as a place of worship, the lacquered door panels will be returned to their original positions. However, some panels were damaged, presumably by insects. The same problems may recur if the panels are returned to their original positions without protective measures. For that reason, a research project for on-site conservation of the lacquered door panels was launched as a funded study by Wat Ratchapradit, and we conducted an on-site investigation on June 9-11, 2025.
We observed the general condition of the ordination hall, as well as the presence of wood-boring pests such as termites. We also visually inspected the lacquered door panels that were damaged by insects. Initially, we thought the panels had not been damaged recently and that insect activity had ceased. However, through our investigation, we discovered that termites currently enter the ordination hall through small cracks in the floor and that the panels may still be further damaged by termites. We will propose protective measures to the Thai side to maintain the condition of the lacquered door panels in their original positions.
In addition, we examined the lacquered door panels. Some uncertainties remain regarding the materials and techniques used for the panels, and therefore we are conducting visual investigations and scientific analyses of the fragmented materials. Based on the results of the study, we will make suggestions for the restoration and replication of the lacquered door panels.