Dong Ho paintings reveal Vietnamese unique folk culture
In the old days, Dong Ho paintings were used as decorations at every home during the Lunar New Year festival (Tet). The folk paintings have become part of Vietnamese life through generations.
Recognized as national intangible cultural heritage, Dong Ho painting or Dong Ho folk woodcut painting is a genre of Vietnamese folk painting, stemming from Dong Ho village, Song Ho commune, Thuan Thanh district, Bac Ninh province in the 17th century (Photo:VNA/VNP))
Dong Ho painting is special because it is printed by hand entirely from woodblocks. Each painting has one woodblock for the outline and several others for printing a color. The number of the woodcuts corresponds to the number of colours a painting has. The colours of paint are processed from natural materials Vietnam. The woodblocks are engraved by hand and can be kept for many years (Photo:VNA/VNP)
The colours used for printing Dong Ho paintings are made from natural materials (Photo:VNA/VNP)
To create the painting 'Prosperity' which portrays a boy holding a duck, Dong Ho artisans have to use five woodblocks to print the different colours (Photo:VNA/VNP)
Creating a painting with many details requires a lot of woodblocks (Photo:VNA/VNP)
An artisan finalizes a painting with his hand drawing after it is printed (Photo:VNA/VNP)
Sun drying the paintings in the front yard of a Dong Ho artisan’s home (Photo:VNA/VNP)
'Prosperity' is among popular Dong Ho paintings (Photo:VNA/VNP)
'Corpulent Pig with Suckling Piglets' is among popular Dong Ho paintings (Photo:VNA/VNP)
Authorities in northern Bac Ninh Province are planning to compile a dossier on the Vietnamese folk art of Dong Ho painting in a bid to secure UNESCO recognition.
More than 20 years ago, artisan Nguyen Dang Che convinced his family members to stop making votive paper and resume their old livelihood making Dong Ho folk paintings.
The National Cultural Heritage Council will appraise dossiers on the Vietnamese folk art of Dong Ho painting later this year, then complete them before submitting to the Prime Minister.
The National Cultural Heritage Council will appraise dossiers on the Vietnamese folk art of Dong Ho painting later this year, then complete them before submitting to the Prime Minister.