"The Vietnamese embroiderers were very clever in distributing color on silk to harmonize pieces without any contrast," said Joseph Jacquard, the inventor of punch-card looms that revolutionized textile production in the 1800's. The Two Trung Sisters, legendary heroines in Vietnamese history, stood beside a flag embroidered with the words "to requite country's debt and home's revenge,' which became
a motto and war cry that rallied the Vietnamese to struggle for independence against their Chinese overlords. In Vietnam, embroidery work is a handcraft that has existed in order to decorate the house and display confidence, sentiment and beauty. Traditionally, the art of embroidery has been done by Vietnamese women. According to the Confucianist concept, a good Vietnamese possesses four qualities: labor, appearance, speech and behavior. 'Men read books and declare poems, women embroider and sew." Silk embroidery paintings therefore are not just beautiful works of art; they are reminders of the beliefs and traditions of the past and vibrant shadows of the ancient beauty that existed of old. This extraordinary art, passed on through the generations, is a part of Vietnam's inheritance. Although many people know how to embroider, concentration and professional character are needed to create an atmosphere where truly meticulous and astoundingly beautiful works of art can be born. The paintings are created by Hue women, and the charming, detailed characters of these Hue woman embroiderers enrich the threads, making silk lotus flowers blossom gradually on soft fabric and butterflies float gracefully above silvery blue water. These Asian silk paintings often forge connections with music, poetry and life. Through contemplation on life, death, hope, and human emotion, the art of embroidery explores our perceptions of the world around us, and allows us to appreciate the beauty of traditional Vietnam.
