Exhibition space of the painting series "Great Ceremony Costumes of the An Nam Court" in the East wing of Thai Hoa Palace

The set of paintings was created by Painter Nguyen Van Nhan in February 1902, including 30/54 watercolor paintings measuring 23.1 x 31.8cm; depicting in detail the costumes of members of the Nguyen Dynasty in major court ceremonies.

Using realistic techniques, painter Nguyen Van Nhan accurately depicts the style and decorative motifs of each type of costume worn by the Emperor, Empress, Concubines, officials from First to Ninth Rank and lower ranks during the Grand Court and Nam Giao ceremonies.

This is a valuable source of information on the history, culture and art of Nguyen Dynasty royal costumes.

Painter Nguyen Van Nhan (1840-1917) was a scribe of the Central Region Resident, he was in charge of the graphic section for the magazine Association of Friends of the Ancient Capital of Hue. When he created the series of paintings “Dai Le tuc duoc An Nam”, he was holding the position of Editor of the Academy. He is considered one of the first painters in our country to successfully combine Vietnamese portraiture with European painting techniques.

This space also displays a collection of decorative details and original materials of Thai Hoa Palace, including tiles, bricks, a section of wooden columns, etc. These are damaged components that cannot be used during the conservation and restoration of the palace in the 2021-2024 period. These artifacts help visitors and researchers understand more about the architecture and history of the Nguyen Dynasty.

News and photos: LIEN MINH

Source: https://huengaynay.vn/van-hoa-nghe-thuat/thong-tin-van-hoa/ly-thu-khong-gian-trung-bay-o-dien-thai-hoa-152205.html