Hang Trong Paintings – The Elite Of Hanoians

In the midst of modern life, Hang Trong paintings bring beauty and charm, making the capital become the best destination in Vietnam to discover.

The Golden age of an art style

Hang Trong painting is one of the three popular Vietnamese folk painting genres: Dong Ho painting (Ha Bac), Hang Trong painting (Hanoi), Kim Hoang painting (Ha Tay). Hang Trong is the second largest painting center in Vietnam, only after Dong Ho.

Similar to Dong Ho painting genre, Kim Hoang painting genre and some small painting center in other parts of the country, Hang Trong painting genre has contributed greatly to create unique, diversified, beautiful Vietnamese folk paintings.

Hang Trong also contributed significantly to the development of the folk painting industry, making the traditional painting profession in Vietnam became prosperous. The outstanding artwork of the Hang Trong paintings has long been famous not only in the country but also in many countries around the world.

Hang Trong is a folk painting genre produced and sold mainly in Hang Trong, Hang Non, Hang Ho and Hang Quat streets of Tieu Tuc commune (Thuan My), Tho Xuong district (now Hoan Kiem district). Most of the paintings were concentrated in Hang Trong Street, so the street’s name is given to the name of this painting genre. If you walk on these streets in Hanoi City Tour, you will admire the alluring color of Hang Trong painting.

Hang Trong painting genre has two main types: worship painting and Tet painting. In term of worshipping theme, there are Buddha, Tam Toa Thanh Mau (Three Goddesses), Tu Phu, Ngu Ho (Five Tigers) … associated with the traditional worship of the Vietnamese. In term of New Year theme, there are many kinds such as Chuc Phuc (Good luck), Tu Qui (Precious Birds), Tu Nu (Virgin Girl), Peacock, Fish, etc.

Delicate but flexible

Hang Trong Paintings are made by both printing technique and painting technique. The first stage of making a Hang Trong painting is printing black outlines by woodblocks, the next one is drawing the details and coloring the picture by hand. Brush used to color picture is soft.

The painting is printed with black ink made in China first, then it is covered with one or two layers of glue. When this glue become dry, the craftsman will color this picture. Thus, it takes three or four days to make a Hang Trong painting.

The wood carving is made of Indrajao wood or gold apple wood. The traditional ink used in the rustic material, but sophisticated in processing.

Unlike Dong Ho painting, Hang Trong paintings have a distinct identity and aesthetic of the urban population. The frame of Hang Trong painting is also much larger than other folk genres. The woodblocks are only a single board carved with fine lines. The pictures such as Ngu Ho (Five Tiger), Peacock, Fish show a technique of wood carving reaching the level of sophistication, meeting the strict requirement of people in the city. Even though it’s made by only two stages printing and drawing, it made a unique world of Vietnamese painting art. The color of Hang Trong painting is also very special. A large soft brush is dipped in both ink and water, which makes the strokes on the paper have two different shades.

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