Lacquer, known in Mexico as Maque, was a technology well-known in Michoacán, on the west coast of Mexico, at the time of the Spanish invasion. Uruapan in Michoacán is considered the cradle of maque together with other centers in Chiapas and Guerrero. Maque art flourished in these parts of Mexico long before European contact.

Maque is one of the most aesthetically pleasing artistic forms of Mexico. Objects carved or assembled from wood or gourd were painted first with a base color, usually red or orange-red, then burnished and richly detailed with landscapes, urban scenes, flora, fauna, and geometric motifs. The types of lacquer pieces commonly found include boxes of all sizes, from small keepsakes to large hope chests, often with their own four-legged stands. Other pieces include lacquered trays, bowls or covered containers, frames, and furniture.

Traditionally, the men of the village engraved designs with thorns after the last fresh coat was applied; the women then polished the final pieces. The process is painstaking, involving many layers of shellac, each layer followed by polishing to achieve a high gloss. The artist creates his own special mixture of shellac made with, among other things, grease extracted from insects and chía oil. Chía oil helps prevent lacquer from cracking and makes it resistant to wear. In addition, most artists mix their own pigments from natural substances and use a variety of traditional hand tools to etch complex designs on the pieces to create the desired effect.

Traditional lacquerware is still created using this slow and patient process, and pieces made in Uruapan are in great demand.

The following pieces were created by master artist Matina Navarro of Uruapan using the age-old, traditional techniques.