Nearly 70 masterpieces of Dutch artists from the Golden Age to the end of the 19th century are being showcased at the exhibition “Blooming Light, Soaking Light” which opened in Hanoi on Friday.

The exhibition is co-organized by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Hanoi and the Vietnam National Fine Arts Museum to mark the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam-Netherlands diplomatic ties.

Sixty-nine works of art by 66 Dutch master painters, selected from the collection of Rijksmuseum, the national museum of the Netherlands, are introduced at the exhibition through a hybrid format which combines fine printing on silk and digital projection.

The exhibition recreates and interprets light in Dutch art history and reveals how it reflects the changes in the human perception of reality and the metaphysical world.

Art lovers and visitors to the exhibition can enjoy classic works from the Dutch Golden Age, which started from the end of the 16th century to the 17th century, such as self-portraits of Vincent van Gogh and masterpieces by Cornelis van Haarlem, Frans Hals, and Rembrandt van Rjin.

Delegates attend the opening ceremony of the “Blooming Light, Soaking Light” exhibition in Hanoi on May 26, 2023. Photo: Thanh Hien / Tuoi Tre

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the event, Ambassador of the Netherlands to Vietnam Kees van Baar expressed his happiness to introduce masterpieces of the Dutch fine arts to the public in the Vietnamese capital city.

The Dutch ambassador told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that: “These works of art are our national treasures. And we would like to introduce them to Vietnam - our dear friend.”

Commenting on the future prospects of the Vietnam-Netherlands relationship, the Dutch diplomat said that the two nations would become major partners in green economic development.

Vietnam and the Netherlands established their diplomatic relations on April 9,1973.

The Netherlands is one of the first Western nations to set up diplomatic ties with and offer development aid to Vietnam.

Regarding the “Blooming Light, Soaking Light” exhibition, it opens from May 26 to June 11, 2023 at the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum, located at No. 66 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi.

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