Painting of the Lady

INFORMATION ON TO NU PAINTINGS Material: Lacquer carving - Size: 70 x 90 cm Adapted from Hang Trong folk paintings Belonging to the genre of Four Paintings (including 4 paintings), depicting 4 Vietnamese girls in ancient costumes, with ponytails, wearing five-panel shirts and all standing with 4 different gestures: erhu, pipa, moon lute, and flute. Each person has a unique beauty and facial expression that reflects the soul of ancient Vietnamese girls. In folklore, there is a story of Bich Cau Ky Ngo related to To Nu painting. The story goes that during the reign of Le Thanh Tong, there was a scholar named Tran Tu Uyen. While visiting Cau Dong market, he was fascinated by To Nu painting and bought it, brought it home and hung it in his study. Then, at every meal, he prepared two bowls, two pairs of chopsticks, invited To Nu to eat with him and occasionally talked, treating her like a real person. One day, Tu Uyen came home from school and saw that the meal was already prepared. The next day, he pretended to leave, but sneaked back and stood lurking in a certain place. Sure enough, he saw To Nu in the painting appear as a real person... Poet Ho Xuan Huong wrote a poem about To Nu's painting: How old are you, my dear? You are also beautiful, I am also beautiful. The couple is like a blank sheet of paper. A thousand years of youth remain forever. Maidens don't dare to flirt with the moon and wind. Willows are left with a fragile fate. As for the other pleasures, why not paint them? Blame the skillful painter for being heartless.