Enamel decoration on Huế royal construction.

Abstract

Abstract
Enamel decoration on HuẾ royal construction
The building process of architectural constructions at Huế Ancient Capital mainly occurred under the early reign of the two emperors: Gia Long (1802-1820) and Minh Mạng (1820-1841), then was completed under the reign of emperors Thiệu Trị (1841-1847) and Tự Đức (1848-1883). Especially, new material called enamel appeared functioning as the decoration for architectural constructions under the emperor Minh Mạng’s reign. Enamel was earliest used under the reign of the emperor Minh Mạng’s 14th year (1833) on such royal constructions palaces of Nguyễn court as Thái Hòa and nghi môn at Trung Đạo bridge behind Ngọ Môn gate and Minh Mạng tomb, Thiệu Trị tomb in succession. The decoration topics by enamel were particularly expressed in the form “one verse, one picture” and “one character, one picture”. This is a decorative style which is the unique in architecture of Nguyễn court. The contents of the style “one verse, one picture” are the poems composed by the emperor himself (called Ngự chế thi) with abundant contents praising the beauty of country, natural landscape, Vietnamese people and the paintings of foliage, birds, animals… are lively, expressed on enamel with bright and fast colors through time.