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| Each object tells a vivid story of history, fine arts, and the royal life. Photo: Nguyen Quan |
The exhibition brings together 23 collectors from all over the country, displaying more than 100 artifacts and sets of artifacts of various forms, functions, and materials, including gold, silver, painted enamel, bronze, ceramic, wood, and royal fabric products.
Duc Huy, a young collector from Ho Chi Minh City, brings to the exhibition exceptional pieces such as a pair of gold earrings, a gold necklace decorated with the dragon-and-phoenix motif, a brocade fabric woven with phoenix designs, and a ceremonial skirt for royal consorts. In addition, there is a pair of Kinh wooden slippers dating from the late 19th century, which he obtained at an auction in France and brought back to Vietnam. The inner lining is made of the leather of a drum, while the decorations are embroidered with thread made from tree bark and dyed in various colors. This plant-based thread is very durable, allowing the decorative patterns to remain intact after hundreds of years. “Those details prove the extraordinary sophistication and craftsmanship of our ancestors,” remarks Duc Huy.
Many other artifacts attract viewers’ attention too. Notable is the prince hat woven with horsehair; though embellished with gold and precious stones, it weighs only 200-300 grams. Among others are the tea/wine cup made of jade and lined with gold, the complete set of Dai Nam Long Tinh, the painted enamel plate dating from the Minh Mang era, the silver ceremonial plaque engraved with gold inscriptions, the set of royal seals of ivory, the finely crafted steel swords with mother-of-pearl-inlaid wooden scabbards and ivory hilts covered in gold. On this occasion, some other collectors visited and donated valuable artifacts and documents to Hue Museum of Royal Antiquities.
Over the past thirty years, Hue Monuments Conservation Centre has received more than 500 artifacts donated by organizations and individuals. This latest donation supplements the collection of the museum. Especially, the imperial decree, dating from the Thanh Thai era, helps complete the decree collection, which has been accumulated for years. They are very necessary for researching and promotion. The donated painted enamel plate is equally significant since objects of this sort of the Nguyen Dynasty have so far been sought after among collectors both in Vietnam and abroad.
According to Hoang Viet Trung, Director of Hue Monuments Conservation Centre, the donations show the collaboration of the community in relic conservation. This is also the orientation officially mentioned in the revised Cultural Heritage Law. “With this meaningful contribution, we hope to launch a bigger program soon, aiming at bringing antiques home, including those from abroad. In the near future, the Center will make a list of missing artifacts so that we will find ways to look for them and bring them back to our country,” said Trung.