The Viet Nam Fine Arts Museum in collaboration with the provincial Museum of Nam Dinh and the Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts on January 15 opened an exhibition on old Vietnamese lion and “Nghe” sculptures.
In Vietnamese culture, “Nghe” animal is a fictional creature with lion-like head, long tail and dog-like body.
On display are 55 objects under the Ly, Tran, Post-Le, and Nguyen dynasties (from 10 th to 19 th century), which are made of different materials, ranging from stone, pottery, wood, to copper and glazed terra-cotta.
A number of scientific documents and materials about ancient Vietnamese masterpieces, collected by various organisations and individuals, are introduced at the event.
The exhibition looks to popularise values of the national arts heritage treasure among citizens in Ho Chi Minh City since it is the first of its kind held in the city, according to Ma Thanh Cao, Director of Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts.
It also aims to improve the citizens’ awareness of the country’s ancient masterpieces and enhance their respect for the traditional cultural heritage, she added.
The exhibition will run until February 12.