Indonesian glass paintings displayed in Vietnam, Tuoitre News

Over 60 Indonesian glass paintings are being showcased at an exhibit that opened on Saturday in Hanoi, the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism reported Monday on its website.

The exhibition is taking place at the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, located on Nguyen Van Huyen Street in Cau Giay District.

On display are 68 paintings – Indonesia’s unique art form – which feature a wide variety of topic matters including history, religion, folk culture, and entertainment.

The collection was presented to the museum in 2006 by an Indonesian couple – O’ong Maryono and his wife Rosalia Sciortino.

The richly colored paintings are a vivid reflection of Indonesian history, culture, and society.

The tales depicted in the paintings are also indicative of the striking similarities between Vietnamese and Indonesian culture.

According to the Vietnamese culture ministry, the art of crafting glass paintings stems from Europe and was first introduced to Indonesia in the early 20th century by Dutch people.

The art thrived in the country during the 1930s, making it one of those boasting the most diverse glass painting collections.

Indonesian glass paintings are mostly inspired by everyday subject matters, including folk art, rituals, festivals, Islam, and epics.