Vietnam more than 100 years ago through the camera angle of a French photographer

The troupe’s actors in Saigon. The characteristic of the tuongs of this period is singing half double and half drama, touring from Saigon to the western continent. Some French people – including Pierre Dieulefils – have worked hard to research and understand Vietnamese culture. Pierre’s photos, taken in 1885, documenting the lives and activities of Vietnamese people, becoming a valuable resource for researchers on current culture, art, and fashion.The eunuchs of the Nguyen Dynasty. Through the selection round, the young eunuchs were brought into the palace to be taught by a senior eunuch in strict court etiquette.Pierre Dieulefils (1862 – 1937) came from Brittany – France. He joined the army in 1883, went to Indochina for the first time in 1885. Two years later, he was discharged and returned to France. In 1888, he returned to North Vietnam, turning to work as a professional photographer and postcard publisher. Photo: Guards in the palace with parasols, fans… In 1905, Pierre Dieulefils went to Saigon and then to Phnom Penh and Angkor – Cambodia. In 1909, he collected a series of photos about Indochina and published a picture book titled “Indo-chine Pittoresque & Monumentale: Annam – Tonkin” (Beautiful and magnificent Indochina: Trung Ky – Tonkin). The work brought him a gold medal at the International Competition in Brussels – Belgium in 1910. In 1913, Pierre Dieulefils returned to France, spending most of his time composing poetry. He died in his hometown of Malestroit. Image: Ethnic minority warrior group in the Central and South at that time.Pierre Dieulefils’ photo collection is a huge legacy with many meanings for archeology, research on regional cultural life, living practices, and art performances of the Vietnamese people more than 100 years ago. Photo captions are translated by translator Luu Dinh Tuan from the original French, refer to the annotation of Chinese – Nom characters by Mr. Claude Maitre, former director of the Institute of Ancient Uncle Ho in Hanoi and many other sources. . Translator Nguy Huu Tam edited the German caption. Photo: A peaceful corner of Sword Lake.The book has 261 photos, taken in 3 regions of the North, Central and South; captions in Vietnamese, French, English, German. Photo: The bronze ritual gate in front of Thai Hoa Palace, the ancient Hue citadel. Thai Hoa is a palace located in the Citadel area, where 13 kings of the Nguyen Dynasty were crowned.A corner Old Notre Dame Cathedral in Saigon. When inaugurated in 1880, the church did not have two towers. In 1895, the church built 2 more bell towers with 6 large bronze bells, on the top of which was attached a cross.Pierre Dieulefils (1862 – 1937).Four court officials in Hue. Ao dai of the Nguyen Dynasty in the 19th century had patterns and designs that were strictly regulated.Wearing ao dai, wearing a hat with strap (left) is a popular fashion style of Northern women late nineteenth century. Rich women often wear ao dai.

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