A center to display the best of a 300-year-old fine arts tradition in woodblock prints will open to the public next month in the northern province of Bac Ninh.

The paintings, named Dong Ho paintings after the village where they were first created, will be exhibited in the center in Thuan Thanh District, about 30 kilometers from Hanoi. 

The local People’s Committee has invested VND2.5 billion (US$15,625) to build the 2,000 square meter center.

On display will be 200 paintings, thousands of wood-blocks and picture frames kept for many years by local artist Nguyen Dang Che. Many of the wood-blocks are over 200 years old.

At the center, visitors will also be able to witness the traditional ways Dong Ho paintings are created using wood-blocks, paper and ink made from local organic materials.

To promote the art, Che also plans to publish a book in Vietnamese and English that introduces foreigners and locals alike to the beauty and intricacies of Dong Ho paintings.

The art form is considered one of Vietnam’s cultural symbols as it has been sustained for centuries. Subjects depicted in these paintings are usually scenes of ordinary life, landscapes, seasons of the year and prosperity symbols.

Source: VnExpress