On the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and France, an exhibition named “Dragon on antiquities” will be organized in France (July/2014) following the collaboration between the Vietnam National Museum of History and the Guimet Museum (French: Musée national des arts asiatiques).
Overall view of the talk
To provide understandings about Vietnamese antiquities, which have been kept in Guimet Museum, a talk with a topic “Vietnamese antiquities” was held on 8/2/2014 at the VNMH with the presentation made by Mr. Jean-Pierre Baptiste, a curator of South East Asia’s antiquity collection at Guimet Museum.
Vietnamese antiquities kept in Guimet, mainly belonged to EFEO in the French colonization in Vietnam. Some were purchased from private owners or at trade fairs. Such items dated from Dong Son culture through Nguyen dynasty period and made of silver, bronze, wood, ceramic and all are highly appreciated for their historical, cultural and artistic values.
Song Da drum, diameter 87cm, height 61cm. Dong Son culture
Especially, in the coming exhibition, Guimet Museum will introduce a Song Da drum - a treasure of Dong Son culture. This drum was brought to Paris by Deputy Ambassador. Moulié for an international trade fair in 1889 then given to French Army Museum. Later it was sent to Guimet Museum in 1950.
Mr. Jean-Pierre Baptiste is introducing about the objects
In the afternoon, Baptiste worked with personnel of Departments of Object Management and Exhibition regarding to the options for objects to be used in the exhibition. Expectedly, it will be around 100 objects from Vietnam to be displayed.
Obviously, this exhibition is a good chance for Vietnamese antiquities to be introduced to international public and it helps to enrich the foreign relations between Vietnam and France.
Thu Nhuần, Nguyễn Hương
EN: Tran Trang