Lacquerfall Phoenix Court — Phoenix Costume Designs Reference Sheet

The story of Lacquerfall Phoenix Court

A fictional story inspired by the artwork.

At Lacquerfall a closed fan meant that a guest wished to speak. An open fan meant the guest was listening. When six phoenix courtiers opened their fans together at the spring audience, the hall fell silent enough for everyone to hear a drop land inside an empty teacup.

A second drop followed. The roof above the throne had begun to leak. The steward reached for another cup, but one of the courtiers held her fan beneath the drip. Water rolled across the red lacquer and emerged blue. Somewhere in the rafters a painted ceiling was slowly washing away.

They climbed the service stairs with brushes, dry cloth and a rope. Behind the ceiling panels lay an unfinished painting of birds in flight. Each bird had been painted from below by a different apprentice practicing on loose boards. When the palace opened, the boards had simply been turned over and nailed into place.

The six took down the wet panels and spread them in the courtyard to dry. By midday the audience had moved outside. The eldest phoenix invited the palace carpenters to hang the paintings along the covered walk. Then she closed her fan and waited. For the first time that morning, every guest had something to say.

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