Dong Ho paintings - the beauty of Vietnamese culture. | Teen Ink

Dong Ho paintings - the beauty of Vietnamese culture.

May 25, 2024
By nguyenthao_vyyy BRONZE, Tiền Giang, Other
nguyenthao_vyyy BRONZE, Tiền Giang, Other
1 article 3 photos 0 comments

For a long time, Dong Ho's paintings have become an integral part of the life of the Vietnamese people. This painting is mainly purchased by Vietnamese people for the New Year, mainly to pray for a warm, happy year. Besides, it also shows the customs, the beliefs of the people, shows the beauty of the culture, and the tradition of the graceful. Dong Ho's paintings originated in the village of Dong Ho, a traditional village known for folk painting. The most prosperous period of Dong Ho's paintings was in the 17th and 18th centuries. Aesthetics in those paintings are often simple, using basic, soft lines, and color materials that come from nature, but in them, there are many layers of meaning. In terms of themes, the Dong Ho paintings are a storage of images familiar to the Vietnamese countryside, such as chickens, ducks, folk games, and daily activities.

 

In the process of painting, the craftsman will use a feather pen and a special type of ink to paint onto the thin paper, and then the drawings will penetrate through the wooden sheet, as a backdrop for the sculptor to engrave the head of the painting. The type of wood used is usually easily absorbent. In that process, there needs to be a clever combination of idea creator, sculptor, and printer. After all the boards have been carved into individual details, then people will use those boards to insert colors, so that the colors are evenly absorbed into the details. From there, they'll print the board onto the paper as a seal. The board is then turned back with the paper, and the loofahs in this step will be used to massage the back of the paper carefully, giving the paper a smoother color. The colors in the order of printing are also very unique: red, blue, yellow, white... only one color per print. After all the colors that were used for the painting, the artist used black to clarify the lines of the work.

 

Dong Ho painting has always been widely used in Vietnamese folk culture. In addition to being used for decoration, it also means praying for peace and warmth for the owner. In terms of meaning, Dong Ho paintings are often famous for using simple, familiar images, but at the same time bringing different meanings. For example, the painting "Đàn lợn âm dương", portrays a good fat pig, using soft lines, with yin and yang motifs on the body, showing the harmony between heaven and earth, fertility, development, and desire for a prosperous, fulfilling life. Or the "Con Gà", with the main characters chicken and 10 chicks. With red and yellow tones, the painting represents the sum, happiness, and unity in the family. In addition, there is the "Cậu Bé ôm Gà", with the image of a boy and a chicken as the dominant, with the meaning of wishes for a future that will reap many successes. Or the "Lý Ngư Vọng Nguyệt" illustrates perseverance in life to success, in the form of carps. “Hứng Dừa”, another painting is also a well-known work, it reflects the daily activities of the people: coconut harvesting, meaning of unity, a joyous atmosphere as well as expressing gratitude for the people's labor.

 

As you can see, the folk paintings of the peoples of the world in general, and Vietnam's Dong Ho paintings in particular, all have certain meanings for national traditions and cultures. It brings good meanings and helps to convey culture and beliefs. At the same time, Dong Ho is an outstanding representative of Vietnamese art and world art history.



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