Hibiscus Embroidery - Anthony Van Lam

Anthony Van Lam

Hibiscus Embroidery

30 x 30 cmwatercolour embroidery on canvas
$300.00
It was known that at the later stage of the foot binding, though illegal, the traditions continued. It was rumoured that as the younger men were at war, daughters still had their feet bound, so were more submissive and had to sit to embroider and do fieldwork!

In this painting, I chose the Hibiscus as it is regarded as the symbol of devotion and loyalty! Once again, the embroidered Lotus shoe is camouflaged in a bush of Hibiscus attracted by butterflies. Also, there is a silhouette of a lady kneeling. The peasant girl shares the belief that foot binding was to keep daughters at plantations, sitting at tasks, such as embroidery.