Captivating sketches of Hanoi published in bilingual book

'Hanoi's Old Quarter - Sketches And Memories,' a Vietnamese-English art book featuring more than 200 sketches of beautiful streets in the Vietnamese capital and emotional pieces of writing about the city finally hit shelves after its release by Kim Dong Publishing House.

According to Kim Dong, nearly 60 authors, writers, architects, professional painters, and amateur artists from Urban Sketchers Hanoi - a youth group for those with an interest in street painting - participated in the completion of the book.

Notably, the youngest author is only eight years old.

Featuring images created with watercolors, pencils, and wax, the book is a depiction of Hanoi’s signature landmarks, including the Old Quarter, traditional craft villages, ancient streets, French-style villas, old houses, buildings, temples, and markets.

“The spontaneous approach [of the painters] highlights the unique characteristics of Hanoi’s Old Quarter and the surprising and distinctive beauty of its streets,” commented architect and researcher Nguyen Quoc Thong, vice-chairman of the Vietnam Association of Architects.

In addition, the book also provides readers with basic information in both Vietnamese and English about the history of the 1,000-year-old city, from its beginning as a marketplace to the prosperous and bustling capital it is today.

Thong also shared that although the feelings the book sparks in each reader may differ, as a whole it is sure to strengthen their connections to Hanoi.

Below are some photos of the sketches featured in the art book.

A painting depicts a street corner of the Old Quarter in Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi.