In 1996, the 74‑year‑old artist Nguyễn Thế Khang announced his plan to recreate Hanoi’s 36 Old Streets as they existed around 1850, before French colonisation, using the traditional lacquer technique (sơn mài).

He designed the piece as 16 large panels, each 1.70 by 10.08 m, giving a total area of more than 22 m², with a decorative border and inscriptions in classical Chinese and Nôm script. The finished work later consisted of 21 panels that stretch more than 15 m.

Khang calculated that the project would need US$78,200 to cover assistants, exhibition equipment, media promotion and 1,000 catalogues. He later added a plan for a five‑story gallery costing US$200,000 and asked for Norwegian support, which was never granted.

After eight years of research and painting, the massive lacquer tableau was completed. Khang valued it at VND1.2 billion. It was exhibited during Hanoi’s 990th anniversary celebrations in 2000, then placed in storage while officials debated a purchase.

A later investigation found the panels displayed at Hồng Ngọc Fine Art, 110B Ngọc Hà, Ba Đình District. The work hangs behind a counter among tourist items, and the glossy surface reflects the shop interior, making it hard for visitors to see the whole piece.

The ownership of the artwork remains uncertain. According to Khang’s son, Nguyễn Thế Duy, an art lover bought the work after Khang’s death, but the current owner no longer lives in Hanoi and the shop’s manager could not confirm who now holds the title.

The saga shows how traditional lacquer methods can produce a monumental, historically detailed artwork, yet preserving and presenting such cultural treasures can be blocked by funding gaps, bureaucratic hesitation and inadequate exhibition spaces.