![]()
The painting was hand embroidered with a length of 4 metre and a width of 3 metre, weighting 167.5 kg, including about 12kg of threads. By multiplying this figure, one will get the number 2010, the year when Hanoi celebrates its millennium birth. The first drawing of this picture was done by 6 painters after four months being spent in Hanoi, and work started in October 2006. The picture was embroidered by nine skilled artists with over 3000 work days, at XQ’s workshop in Da Lat city, Lam Dong central province.
The painting’s focal image is the pure lotus flower manifesting the spirit of the Vietnamese culture, blended with the old architecture of Hanoi’s houses and pagodas in autumn. In the other part of the picture, the old Lac birds, the sacred soul of Vietnamese ancestors are flying in the sunlight of the red dawn on the sky-line amidst the moving and imposing sounds of the bronze drums. Here and there,the Red River appears vaguely in the distance as if a golden dragon is ascending skywards symbolising the land of Thang Long – Hanoi.
By now, two thirds of the picture have been completed. According to Hoang Le Xuan, the founder of the XQ company, and also head of the artists’ team, each thread expresses the passion and enthusiasm of Vietnamese artists toward their homeland.
The picture is expected to be completed in September 2010. Upon completion, there will be a parade to bring the picture from Da Lat city to Hanoi. The parade will happen along the length of the central coast through different cities like Nha Trang, Da Nang, Hue, Vinh and Ninh Binh, with the first 100 Da Lat artists joining the parade and then over 1000 artists and friends will converge onto the capital city of Hanoi to join the grand ceremonious day.
