Vietnam Son Mai paintings
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The first generation of Vietnamese painters to be influenced by the European style (the Renaissance, Impressionism...) graduated from the Ecole des Beaux - Arts de L' Indochine. The school was founded by the French artist Victor Tardieu in 1925 in Ha Noi, Northern Vietnam. Since then, Vietnam artists continue to employ the traditional European style of painting with the use of oil as a medium. In addition, they were highly encouraged to incorporate traditional Vietnamese media in the use of lacquer and silk in their technique. Thus, for the first time, l' Ecole des Beaux-Arts developed a formal program of instruction in the use of lacquer in painting which ushered in changes to the ancient tradition of lacquer handicrafts. This led Son Mai painting toward European realism. More info
Champa Gold
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Kings are born and die
Empires crumble and fall
Only Gold is forever!
More about the Kingdom of Champa (New Addition: Dating Champa Gold Jewelry)
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Champa Museum in Da Nang
European Christian Iconography
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Colonial religious art was often employed as a persuasive device to transmit Christian doctrine or behavior. It was believed that visual aids were critical in arousing the emotions necessary to achieve spiritual enlightenment. Most, if not all, of the Christian icons discovered in Asia were of European origin. These items were transported to Asia on ships by Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, and French missionaries during the Colonial Period (1600-1900). These religious men also built churches in Asia after the Romanesque and Gothic style. Although some of these old structures remain standing today, many were destroyed by religious persecution and war.
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