Enamel Art
History of Hue's Enamel Art
Enamel, refers to an art product made with a copper core, over which one or more layers of colored enamel are painted and then fired. Thanks to its special crafting technique, enamel is not only aesthetically beautiful but also durable in terms of mechanics, chemistry, and physics—meaning it can withstand impacts as well as environmental and climatic corrosion.
Enamel art was not originally from Hue, but it was introduced here and soon became a great passion of the Nguyen Dynasty. Perhaps this was because the craft not only endures well in Hue’s humid climate but also reflects the meticulous artistry highly valued by the royal court. Emperor Minh Mạng took great care to send people abroad to learn from other countries, bringing back skilled artisans to Hue and the Nguyễn court.
In addition to the enamel workshops in Hue, the Nguyễn court also established enamel workshops in Ái Tử (Quảng Trị) and Đồng Hới (Quảng Bình) to produce enamelware for construction and decoration of the interiors and exteriors of palaces and royal tombs in Hue, as well as for daily use and ceremonial purposes within the court.
Notably, Hue enamelware has also been found in several major museums in Europe, such as the Ethnological Museum in Berlin (Germany), the Ethnological Museum in Munich (Germany), the Museum of Fine Arts in Rennes (France), and in the private collections of various antique collectors around the world.
Instructor Background / Biography
The fate that brought Mr. Đỗ Hữu Triết to Pháp Lam—the traditional cloisonné enamel of Huế—has been described by him as “destiny.” Although he graduated with a degree in Physics, a field seemingly unrelated at first glance, it actually contains the essential technical foundation behind Huế Pháp Lam. In 1996, a Physical Chemistry Laboratory was established at the Center for Conservation of the Huế Monuments, where Mr. Triết began working and became fascinated with the intricately crafted decorative elements adorning the ancient architecture.
In 2005, his research on Pháp Lam culminated successfully with ten experimental decorative pieces, making Đỗ Hữu Triết the first—and so far the only—person to revive this ancient craft. The challenge was not merely whether his pieces were aesthetically pleasing, but rather to restore the lost techniques of the Nguyễn dynasty artisans—techniques refined over time by craftsmen who studied extensively and developed the methods best suited to the dynasty’s style and structural standards.
Take the opportunity to see the complete process of making a stunning Phap Lam product, manually create your own or pick up one as a decorative souvenir gift.
NOTES :
- Availability: Morning, Afternoon
- Suggested time: 09:00, 15:00
- Duration: 1.5 hours
- Capacity: Minimum 2 Pax
You can read more about Mr. Đỗ Hữu Triết in the Elle Decoration article.
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