Art of Viet Nam

The Latvian National Museum of Art collection of Vietnamese material culture is small, around 50 objects. Most of the items were acquired in the second half of the 20th century, with the last donation being received in 2024 as a diplomatic gift from the Embassy of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam in Sweden.

The majority of the collection is Dong Ho folk woodcut paintings. Since Dong Ho coloured woodblock prints were mainly displayed during the Vietnamese New Year celebrations, the works depict positive and humorous themes such as various good luck signs, folk allegories, historical figures and other popular stories. Through various depictions of everyday life, the works reflect the traditional Vietnamese aesthetic, values and wishes. The collection shows different versions and parts of the works, which are shown in the images on the label.

Viet Nam has a complex and multi-layered history, so the collection also includes objects related to both the Chinese influence on their heritage and French colonialism. Blue-and-white porcelain, mother-of-pearl inlays, opium pipes as a reference to the Opium Wars, and a 1912 silk embroidery from Hanoi with direct traces of French colonialism.

In 2024, the museum received 17 objects as a gift from the Embassy of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam in Sweden. These include a traditional Vietnamese male costume, a rice drum, and Dong Ho coloured woodblock prints, which enriched the collection with missing pieces and showed diversity in the use of colour in the works.