18th-century Venetian lacquer casket. Lacquer is a type of decoration typical of 18th-century Venetian furniture, using small cut-out prints glued to the wood and then finished with shellac, which, applied in several very thin layers, gave the decoration a lustrous, uniform appearance. This type of lacquer became a real trend in Venice, as it was easier to apply and more affordable. This technique was also used to embellish objects such as drawers and caskets.