Odd paintings from shipwrecks

      Some local newspapers recently wrote about a painting on a ceramic plate made in Vietnam in the 15th century. That painting clumsily shows a couple who are making love and one standing watching them. But there are more than that.
Sexy paintings
Archaeologists discovered this plate in a shipwreck off Cu Lao Cham Island in the central province of Quang Nam. Dr. Nguyen Dinh Chien, who oversaw the operation, said that since this object was incomplete, archaeologists didn’t pay attention to it. It was discovered when they classified objects a long time after that. Dr. Chien affirmed that plate is a Vietnamese antique dating back to the 15th century and said it might have been made to order.
Experts say that the artistic value of this painting is not much because the woman has a badly-proportioned body and the posture of the couple is not romantic at all. It was surely not made to serve playboys nor does it bear the hallmark of a religion or belief. It looks like a lively scene painted by a ceramic artisan when he was greatly elated.
This plate is introduced in the book entitled “Ceramics on five ancient shipwrecks in Vietnam’s sea”.
Another “sexy” painting was found on an ancient basin, which also comes from an ancient shipwreck off Cu Lao Cham: a long-hair girl sitting beside a water jar. A man is bringing clothes to the girl. There is another person peeping from behind a tree.
The painting is very simple so it is hard to guess the meaning of it. Does it illustrate a story or it is an impromptu work of a ceramic artisan? Dr. Chien supports the second supposition.
Ceramic paintings of over 500 years old
The painting heritage of Vietnam in the medieval period is not great, with mostly Dong Ho, Hang Trong, Kim Hoang, and Sinh Village paintings only. Lively paintings on ancient ceramic items are quite special. It is regrettable that Vietnam doesn’t have any research work about them.
Looking at the ancient ceramic items brought up from the five shipwrecks, one would be surprised by the artworks, which show the spirit of painters and aren’t simply decorative patterns on ceramic products. Others include a long-haired girl sitting by a vase, a long-bearded Taoist hermit using magic, a fairy that is flying to heaven on a lotus-shaped boat, people who are catching fish and many others.
Another object attracting special attention from experts is a big flower vase with lively paintings of birds and ducks in all postures.
Why are the paintings on the ceramic items not considered artworks of Vietnam?