Painting of Thuy Kieu and Kim Trong

INFORMATION ABOUT THE PAINTING "THUY KIEU MEETS KIM TRONG" Material: Lacquer carving - Dimensions: 82 x 102 cm Adapted from the Dong Ho folk painting "Doan Truong Tan Thanh," often simply known as "Truyen Kieu," is a narrative poem by the great poet Nguyen Du. Considered the most famous and classic narrative poem in Vietnamese literature, the work was written in Nom script in the lục bát (six-eight) meter, consisting of 3,254 lines. The painting depicts a small segment of "Truyen Kieu," during the Thanh Minh festival, featuring Thuy Kieu and Kim Trong: the two sisters, Kieu and Vuong Quan, shyly hide under a clump of flowers by the roadside; Kieu's younger brother, Vuong Quan, recognizes his friend and approaches to greet her; and Kim Trong, with his elegant and refined demeanor, is about to dismount from his horse to converse and share his feelings. In the left corner of the painting are a few lines of text: "Kim Van Kieu's most extraordinary encounter: Young Vuong Quan, familiar with her, greets her; the two Kieu sisters shyly hide under the flowers." Originally from a nearby area, his surname was Kim, his given name was Trong, and he came from a noble family.