See the first 30 color photos of Hanoi taken through the lens of a Frenchman

On the afternoon of April 15, at the villa at 49 Tran Hung Dao (Hoan Kiem, Hanoi ), where the restoration and conservation of the building is being completed, a photo exhibition titled "Hanoi - The Beginning of a Western City in Southeast Asia" took place.

Within the framework of the 12th Vietnam - France Local Cooperation Conference, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Vietnam - France friendly relations, Hanoi City and Ile-de-France region organized the opening of the photo exhibition "Hanoi - The beginning of a Western city in Southeast Asia" at the villa 49 Tran Hung Dao (Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi).

The exhibition introduces and displays 30 color photographs taken on glass by Léon Busy between 1915 and 1921, which are the first color photographs of Hanoi. Before the appearance of color film (introduced to the market by Kodak in 1935), this photographic technique showed the appearance of a modern Hanoi, while the themes recorded by Busy show a Vietnam that is both old and changing towards the 20th century.

Through that, the exhibition also helps viewers have a multi-dimensional view of the main public works that have long participated in the process of changing the morphology and urbanity of Hanoi. Many details appearing on these frames show the spread of Western culture even in the Old Quarter and the living space of Hanoians.

Speaking at the exhibition, Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee Duong Duc Tuan said that Hanoi and the Ile-de-France region are honored to be the first pair of partners in the cooperative relationship between Vietnamese and French localities since 1989. "Over the years, the two sides have cooperated effectively in the fields of sustainable development, urban planning, culture, heritage. Within the framework of the 12th Vietnam - France Local Cooperation Conference, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Vietnam - France friendship relationship, the photo exhibition "Hanoi - the beginning of a Western-style urban area in Southeast Asia" at the villa at 49 Tran Hung Dao is one of the important events", Mr. Tuan said.

“This is the first French villa that Hanoi has restored and embellished with technical support from the Ile-de-France region. I hope that the Ile-de-France Regional Council will continue to pay attention and mobilize all resources to support Hoan Kiem district in implementing the old town information center project at the villa at 49 Tran Hung Dao,” the Vice Chairman of the City People's Committee said about the villa at 49 Tran Hung Dao.

Within the framework of the 12th Conference on Cooperation between Vietnamese and French Localities, this afternoon (April 15), the exhibition “Hanoi - The Beginning of a Western-style City in Southeast Asia” attracted the attention of many Hanoians and international visitors.

Vice Chairman of Hanoi People's Committee Duong Duc Tuan spoke at the exhibition.

Leaders of Hoan Kiem City and District and French experts visited the exhibition.

The exhibition “Hanoi – The Beginning of a Western-style City in Southeast Asia” introduces the first 30 color photos taken in Hanoi. Through these, residents and tourists will learn more about the transformation of Hanoi city over the course of history.

The representative of Ile-de-France region said that the exhibition is one of the important contents of the 12th Conference on Cooperation between Localities of Vietnam and France.

People save rare color photos of Hanoi from 1915.

International visitors visit the exhibition.

The first color photos of Hanoi at the exhibition.

Among the 30 works are unique views of Hanoi in terms of landscape and architecture, such as the image inside Quan Thanh Temple, there is a large chandelier made of glass or crystal imported directly from France; images of graceful Vietnamese girls with macaron-style hair, wearing shoes with large buckles - popular in French fashion magazines in the 1910s; and French-language press posters demonstrating the vitality of the French press in the early 20th century.

Mr. Emmanuel Cerise, Director of the Paris Region International Cooperation Support Agency in Vietnam (PRX-Vietnam) shared information about the photos.

The exhibition attracted many experts and the public.

The old mandarins of Hoan Kiem City and District and French experts took souvenir photos at the villa at 49 Tran Hung Dao.

According to Tien Phong