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On January 30, the Vietnam Museum of Fine Arts opened a special exhibition titled Ngua trong nghe thuat tao hinh (The Horse in Visual Art), introducing the public to the cultural and artistic significance of the horse in Vietnamese fine arts across historical periods.
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The showcase features 60 selected works from the museum’s collections of folk, applied, modern, and contemporary art. These pieces span a wide range of mediums - lacquer, oil, silk, paper, wood, terracotta, ceramics - and were created by generations of artisans, painters, and sculptors, from the Indochina Fine Arts School era and wartime resistance period to the present.
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According to the organizers, the image of the horse has long been present and prevalent in Vietnamese art, closely intertwined with daily life, labor, and traditional cultural values.
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In folk and applied art, the horse is rendered with simplicity and vitality, often symbolizing loyalty and familiarity. In modern and contemporary contexts, the horse becomes a potent creative muse, evoking layered emotions and diverse symbolic meanings.
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Among the most prominent works in the exhibition are those portraying the legendary hero Saint Giong and the spirit of national resilience - such as Giong by Nguyen Tu Nghiem, Ong Giong by Ngo Manh Lan, and pieces by Tran Khanh Chuong and Le Cong Thanh.
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The horse as part of highland ethnic life is vividly captured in works by To Ngoc Van, Nguyen Van Ty, Bui Xuan Phai, and Pham Van Don, showing the animal’s deep connection to the rhythms of mountainous communities.
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During wartime, the horse often appeared as a steadfast companion to soldiers, traversing forests and battlegrounds for transport and supply. Especially notable are depictions of horses beside President Ho Chi Minh, in pieces by Duong Bich Lien, Nguyen Trong Kiem, Nguyen Thu, Giang To, and Tran Chat - rendering powerful, humanistic portraits of the late leader’s humility and connection with the people during resistance years.
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Of particular note, two works featuring the horse are officially recognized as National Treasures: Giong by Nguyen Tu Nghiem and President Ho Chi Minh in the Viet Bac Base by Duong Bich Lien.

Tinh Le