A collection of 100 objects dating back to the 7th century of theNguyen Dynasty (1802-1945) which feature the lotus flower is on displayat the Vietnam National Museum of History in Hanoi.
Theexhibition, Lotus and Antiquities, is to introduce local andinternational visitors to the beauty and significance of the lotus inVietnamese culture.
Among the thousands of objectsthat live in the halls of the Vietnam National Museum of History, lotusflower decorations dominate the visual landscape, said Museum DirectorNguyen Van Cuong.
There is no object on which theflower cannot be found – paintings, statues, jewels, worship objects,architectural materials and even household utensils.
"The lotus theme is presented in various motifs and different artisticstyles. It appears not only on objects made of stone, pottery, paper,textile fabric and wood, but also on precious materials such as gold,silver, jade and ivory," said Cuong.
The exhibition, divided into several categories, explores the iconic flower through the ages.
In the Lotus in Royal Arts of the Nguyen Dynasty section, shelves arefull of delicate ornaments of jade, ivory and precious metals used byroyalty. Imagine swords, washing trays, crowns and jewelry boxes coveredin lotus flowers.
In the Lotus in Buddhism andRituals section, 11th to 20th century Buddha statues sitting atop lotuspedestals or incense burners in the shape of lotus leaves are numerous.
Dr. Pham Quoc Quan, member of the Vietnam NationalCultural Heritage Council, explained: "In Buddhism, the lotus flowerrepresents purification, faithfulness, compassion, wisdom andenlightenment."
"The lotus is symbolic oftransparency in Vietnamese culture. It also represents the refined andunyielding spirit of the Vietnamese people," he said, therefore, "thelotus can be found in a number of decorative materials and antiquesthroughout Vietnamese fine arts."
For example, thesection, Lotus in Architectural Decoration, displays pillars, pedestals,tiles and bricks dating from the Ly and Tran dynasties (10th to 14thcentury), and Lotus in Ordinary Life, places the icon on objects ofquotidian life – jars, boxes and trays.
The ubiquity of the lotus is unavoidable.
The exhibition will run until the end of September.-VNA
Theexhibition, Lotus and Antiquities, is to introduce local andinternational visitors to the beauty and significance of the lotus inVietnamese culture.
Among the thousands of objectsthat live in the halls of the Vietnam National Museum of History, lotusflower decorations dominate the visual landscape, said Museum DirectorNguyen Van Cuong.
There is no object on which theflower cannot be found – paintings, statues, jewels, worship objects,architectural materials and even household utensils.
"The lotus theme is presented in various motifs and different artisticstyles. It appears not only on objects made of stone, pottery, paper,textile fabric and wood, but also on precious materials such as gold,silver, jade and ivory," said Cuong.
The exhibition, divided into several categories, explores the iconic flower through the ages.
In the Lotus in Royal Arts of the Nguyen Dynasty section, shelves arefull of delicate ornaments of jade, ivory and precious metals used byroyalty. Imagine swords, washing trays, crowns and jewelry boxes coveredin lotus flowers.
In the Lotus in Buddhism andRituals section, 11th to 20th century Buddha statues sitting atop lotuspedestals or incense burners in the shape of lotus leaves are numerous.
Dr. Pham Quoc Quan, member of the Vietnam NationalCultural Heritage Council, explained: "In Buddhism, the lotus flowerrepresents purification, faithfulness, compassion, wisdom andenlightenment."
"The lotus is symbolic oftransparency in Vietnamese culture. It also represents the refined andunyielding spirit of the Vietnamese people," he said, therefore, "thelotus can be found in a number of decorative materials and antiquesthroughout Vietnamese fine arts."
For example, thesection, Lotus in Architectural Decoration, displays pillars, pedestals,tiles and bricks dating from the Ly and Tran dynasties (10th to 14thcentury), and Lotus in Ordinary Life, places the icon on objects ofquotidian life – jars, boxes and trays.
The ubiquity of the lotus is unavoidable.
The exhibition will run until the end of September.-VNA
