Folk Paintings

Vietnam folk paintings vary but in two most typical categories: for New-year days and Worshipping accompanied by the people’s ancestry-worship and deification of natural phenomenon.

A Đông Hồ picture of hide-and seek game

Under Lý dynasty (in 12nd century), there ware families, even village made printing boards. In early Lê dynasty, the printing techniques were better. Then in Mạc dynasty (in 16th century), flock paintings were not only bought by the farmers, but even by aristocrats in Thăng Long imperial capital, especially in new-year days or Tết. In the 18th and 19th centuries, paintings became nationwide and there were different schools: Đông Hồ, Hàng Trống, Kim Hoàng in the North, Sình in the central part. Different schools made different paintings in colours, contents (in materials, printings boards…). For example: Đông Hồ paintings have normally 3 colours (black made of coal, blue made of verdigris, red made of acacia flowers, yellow made of gardenia flowers…). Hàng Trống paintings have colours made of traditional materials: ashes, dingo or even from soil and pebble from hills and mountain.

Folk paintings mostly served worship services and new-year days. A great number of paintings were needed every year, they had to be made on short time and sold out at low prices, that’s why wooden printing boards were prepared and the painters could work easily.

Paintings have been handed down for generations. They are even painted directly by artisans, but mostly by mountainous Dao, Nùng, and Tày ethnic minority groups. Đông Hồ paintings were normally printed on Dó paper, a kind of paper that has good quality, long-lasting.

The contents expressed in pictures are various: a mouse’s wedding, a hen and small chickens, jealousy-fighting, wrestling… Each has its own meaning but all speak about the wishes for happiness, prosperity and good children.

                                                                              QUANG THẮNG