Đông Hồ woodcut print “Lady Triệu Riding an Elephant” – The Lady with the Elephant | Artisan Nguyễn Hữu Đạo

Graceful and proud, a young woman wearing a diadem rides a caparisoned elephant against a golden background.

History and symbolism

This untitled print shows a lady riding an elephant, her scarves fluttering in the wind. In the Vietnamese imagination, the war elephant is the mount of national heroines, such as Lady Triệu (Bà Triệu), who rose up in 248 against Wu domination. The animal symbolizes quiet strength, loyalty and stability, while the rider represents the courage of Vietnamese women.

Craftsmanship

Everything is handmade by Nguyễn Hữu Đạo, a fifteenth-generation Đông Hồ printmaker: dó paper coated with shell powder (điệp), natural pigments and a woodblock engraved for each colour. This craft has been on the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding since 2025. Artisan's seal. Hand-printed: slight variations from one print to another.

Decoration & gift idea

Luminous against its yellow background, it brightens an entrance hall, living room or office. A beautiful gift to celebrate a strong woman.

Đông Hồ prints in brief

A Vietnamese heritage nearly five centuries old, the Đông Hồ folk print originated in the village of the same name in Thuận Thành (Bắc Ninh province). Every image is entirely handmade, from the drawing and woodblock engraving to the printing, and its themes – wishes for happiness, scenes of everyday life, history and worship – have made it the traditional image of Têt, the Lunar New Year. In December 2025, UNESCO added this craft, which is still perpetuated by only a few families, to the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding.

Specifications

• Size: 27 × 36 cm
• Orientation: Portrait (vertical)
• Technique: woodblock print (wood engraving), hand-printed
• Support: dó paper coated with shell powder (điệp)
• Natural pigments
• Signed with the seal of artisan Nguyễn Hữu Đạo
• Sold unframed – the framing shown in the lifestyle photos is for illustrative purposes only
• Origin: Đông Hồ village, Thuận Thành, Bắc Ninh province, Vietnam