Bat Trang artisans create cat pottery collection to welcome Year of Cat 2023

Artisans in Hanoi’s Bat Trang pottery village have created a collection of cat-shaped pottery products, to welcome the New Year 2023 – the Year of the Cat.
Three samples of the collection.
Three samples of the collection.
Sketching the design for the products.

Sketching the design for the products.

Artisan Vuong The Cuong working on a cat pottery product.

Artisan Vuong The Cuong working on a cat pottery product.

All steps of the crafting process are done manually.

All steps of the crafting process are done manually.

Each sample in the collection has many sophisticated details, requiring great patience, skill and meticulousness from artisans.

Each sample in the collection has many sophisticated details, requiring great patience, skill and meticulousness from artisans.

Bat Trang villagers are busy delivering the last batch of the products to the market.

Bat Trang villagers are busy delivering the last batch of the products to the market.

The ceramic pieces are coated with enamel before being fired in a kiln at 1,200C.

The ceramic pieces are coated with enamel before being fired in a kiln at 1,200C.

The fired ceramic will then be applied with layers of gold lustre.

The fired ceramic will then be applied with layers of gold lustre.

This final step will define the colours of the final products.

This final step will define the colours of the final products.

The crafting of each product goes through 12 delicate stages, requiring 60 continuous working days.

The crafting of each product goes through 12 delicate stages, requiring 60 continuous working days.