Exquisitely crafted warhorses for the Year of the Horse made from... charcoal.

TPO - Through the skillful hands of Mr. Nguyen Tuan Quyet (born in 1974, Ha Long ward, Quang Ninh province), rough lumps of coal are carved and given life into horse mascots in anticipation of the Lunar New Year of the Year of the Horse.

In the days leading up to Tet (Lunar New Year), the coal carving workshop of Mr. Quyet's family always resounds with the sounds of chiseling and grinding.

In the familiar space covered in a layer of black dust, the workers in the workshop diligently complete the mascot sculptures for the market at the beginning of the year.

Having been involved in coal carving for over 40 years, Mr. Nguyen Tuan Quyet is one of the few people who still preserve the sophistication and artistic depth of this distinctive craft from the Quang Ninh mining region.

From raw blocks of coal, under skillful hands, vivid shapes gradually emerge, imbued with cultural essence and evoking the enduring spirit of the miners.

This year, during the Lunar New Year of the Horse, Mr. Quyet and his wife, Ms. Nguyen Thanh Binh (born in 1978), spent three months completing their artwork, "War Horse." The statue, over 40 cm tall, depicts a horse in a powerful pose, head held high, mane flowing in the wind, evoking a spirit of resilience, agility, and aspiration for advancement.

According to Mr. Quyet, the artwork was sculpted from two large pieces of charcoal, one shaped like a horse and the other like a chariot, which were then joined together to form the whole.

The highlight of "War Horse" lies in its surface contrast; the body is meticulously polished, while the mane and tail are left just rough enough to create visual rhythm and emphasize the "beak" quality of the material.

"The artwork was completed close to Tet (Lunar New Year), so many people have offered to buy it at a high price, but I haven't sold it yet," Mr. Quyet said.

According to the miners, coal sculpting requires absolute patience because coal is both hard and brittle, and even a small mistake can ruin the entire block of material.

Besides large-scale productions, the workshop also makes many miniature horse models in various standing and running poses, catering to the needs of gifts and souvenirs. These smaller products are popular because they not only carry feng shui significance for the New Year but also serve as gifts rich in the cultural heritage of the mining region.

The successor to the family business is Mr. Quyet's son-in-law, Nguyen Pham Trung Thanh (27 years old). Having been involved for about 5 years, Thanh has gradually mastered all stages, from selecting the coal and creating the rough shape to finishing the details. "Initially, I found it very difficult because coal is different from other materials. But with my father-in-law's guidance, I've grown to love the craft and want to stick with it for the long term," Thanh shared.

In the context of many traditional crafts fading away, the fact that Mr. Quyet's family persistently keeps the flame of coal carving alive is a beautiful example. These "masterpieces," completed just in time for Tet (Lunar New Year), not only possess aesthetic value but also represent the culmination of dedication, experience, and belief in the continuation of the craft of the Quang Ninh mining region.

Source: https://tienphong.vn/tinh-xao-chien-ma-binh-ngo-lam-tu-than-post1819441.tpo