Đông Hồ woodblock print “Gà Đàn” – The hen and her chicks | Artisan Nguyễn Hữu Đạo

Red, green, and gold feathers: a large bird surrounded by its chicks, full of life.

History and symbolism

Without inscription, this image belongs to the farmyard subjects that made Đông Hồ famous, such as pigs or roosters. In the center, a large, brightly colored bird watches over a brood pecking and fluttering all around. For farming families, a large flock symbolized abundance, family unity, and the wish for many children.

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 color. 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

Cheerful and graphic, it warms up a kitchen, dining room, or country home, and makes a lovely housewarming gift.

Đông Hồ prints in brief

Nearly five centuries old, the Đông Hồ folk print originated in the village of the same name in Thuận Thành (Bắc Ninh Province). Every print is made entirely by hand, from the drawing and woodblock engraving to 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