The 280-page publication features articles on the origins of glass painting, its styles in Southern Vietnam, artistic techniques, and notable works. According to author Huynh Thanh Binh, this art form appeared in the Hue imperial court during the Minh Mang and Thieu Tri eras, initially as imported craft products not widely used in daily life.
 |
A Southern Vietnamese glass painting. Photo: General Publishing House TP HCM |
A Southern Vietnamese glass painting. Photo: General Publishing House TP HCM
In the early 20th century, Cantonese immigrants settled in the Cho Lon area and began opening glass shops. Paintings, such as "dai tu" (large characters) and calligraphic art, were used for housewarmings, business openings, and longevity celebrations. Gradually, Southern Vietnamese glass painting as an art form emerged.
By the 1920s, the glass painting craft relocated to Lai Thieu (Thu Dau Mot). Subsequently, around the 1940s-1950s, the craft spread throughout Southern Vietnam, establishing itself in My Tho, Cai Lay, Go Cong (Tien Giang), Cho Moi (An Giang), Cho Tram (Long An), and Tay Ninh. This art also integrated into the Khmer community, giving rise to Khmer glass painting in Tra Vinh and Soc Trang.
The book highlights typical characteristics of various painting styles from Cho Lon, Lai Thieu, My Tho, Go Cong, Cho Moi (An Giang), and the Khmer community. To gather information, the author spent over 10 years researching the creation techniques in the Mekong Delta, comparing Khmer works with those from other Southern Vietnamese regions.
 |
The process of attaching shell and mother-of-pearl to glass paintings. Photo: General Publishing House TP HCM |
The process of attaching shell and mother-of-pearl to glass paintings. Photo: General Publishing House TP HCM
These paintings are often displayed for ancestor worship, folk beliefs, religious purposes, celebrations, or as interior and exterior decorations. Notable artisans and workshops include: Huynh Vinh Hue, Luong Chi Bang (Cho Lon), Truong Hoa Su and his children (Lai Thieu), Tran Van Dau and his son Ho Van Be, Nguyen Van Nhut (My Tho, Tien Giang), Hoa Mai studio, and Ut The (Tay Ninh).
The author introduces various artistic techniques, from materials and colors to the stages of drawing patterns, outlining on glass, drying, and coloring. The book categorizes works into thematic groups: devotional paintings, celebratory paintings for auspicious occasions, and decorative paintings for homes, ancestral halls, and communal temples. The content is accompanied by illustrations for readers' convenience.
Over more than 100 years, Southern Vietnamese glass painting has undergone many changes. Alongside hand-painted types, which combine mirroring and mother-of-pearl inlay techniques, there are also paintings with faces or heads pasted from photographs or prints. Artisans then only paint the body, attire, background, and scenery. Some workshops have transitioned from hand-painting to advanced silk-screening and 3D printing on glass. Today, this art form remains present in markets and shops throughout Southern Vietnam.
 |
The book "Tranh kieng Nam Bo: Art for Every Home". Photo: General Publishing House TP HCM |
The book "Tranh kieng Nam Bo: Art for Every Home". Photo: General Publishing House TP HCM
Huynh Thanh Binh is the author of articles and books on world culture, Buddhist art, Vietnamese art, and folk culture. Her published works include: "Tranh kieng Nam Bo" (2013, reprinted late 2025), "Bieu tuong than thoai ve chu thien va linh vat Phat giao" (2018, reprinted 2023), "Tranh tuong Khmer Nam Bo" (2020), "Quy phap do tuong Hindu va Phat giao An Do" (2021), and "Tranh dan gian Nam Bo" (2024).
Mai Nhat
