Đông Hồ woodcut print “The Rat’s Wedding” | Artisan Nguyễn Hữu Đạo

The most famous wedding procession in Vietnamese imagery: a scene full of humor and mischief.

History and symbolism

The groom parades smiling on horseback, the bride follows in a palanquin, escorted by musicians. But for the wedding to pass without a hitch, the cat must first be appeased: mice present it with fish and birds, as indicated by the characters 送礼 ("giving gifts"). Beneath the celebration lies a lighthearted satire of the little people who must "grease the palms" of the powerful. This image is one of the best known from Đông Hồ.

Craftsmanship

It comes from the workshop of Nguyễn Hữu Đạo, son and grandson of master artisans from Đông Hồ. The natural colors are pressed one by one with engraved wooden blocks, on dó paper coated with crushed shells (điệp), the black outline added last. Red artisan seal. Hand-printed: slight variations from one copy to another.

Decoration & gift idea

Cheerful and narrative, it brightens up a living room, dining room, or child's bedroom, and makes an original wedding gift.

Đông Hồ prints in brief

A Vietnamese heritage nearly five centuries old, Đông Hồ folk prints originated in the village of the same name in Thuận Thành (Bắc Ninh province). Each image is made entirely by hand, from the drawing and engraving of the blocks to the printing, and its themes – wishes for happiness, scenes of daily life, history, and worship – have made it the traditional image of Tết, 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: Landscape (horizontal)
• 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