HÀ NỘI – A collection of folk Hàng Trống wood block paintings will soon be displayed at the Vietnamese Women’s Museum in downtown Hà Nội.

The paintings were made mainly by families on the Hàng Nón and Hàng Trống streets of Hà Nội during the genre's golden era at the end of the 19th century and early 20th century, though it first appeared in the 16th century.

After being printed by a wooden block, artisans would add more paper layers behind the painting to make strokes and lines appear more obvious.

Poster of the event. Photo Courtesy of the museum

The painting genre has been considered a folk painting genre of high quality with smooth and delicate lines.

There are a few kinds of Hàng Trống folk paintings available such as worship paintings, paintings depicting daily activities, natural landscapes, storytelling, and decoration paintings for Tết (Lunar New Year).

Worship paintings are the most popular. Storytelling paintings depict ancient tales of the past.

The exhibition features 40 storytelling paintings of ten tales popular in Vietnamese culture, which belong to the private collection of researcher Phan Ngọc Khuê, a leading researcher of this painting genre.

The exhibition will run at the museum, 36 Lý Thường Kiệt Street, Hoàn Kiếm District, Hà Nội between March 18 and 31. VNS