Photographs of Vietnamese women from the early 20th century were recently showcased at the “Sofia Yablonska - A Lifetime Journey Through the Century” exhibition at the Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts in District 1. Captured during the 1930s and 1940s, the images primarily depict serene scenes of village life.
A young white Thai woman in her traditional costume. Gaman Oleksandr, the current Ukrainian ambassador to Vietnam, describes Sofia Yablonska as a “travel blogger” of her time.
“Sofia’s photos are like windows to the past, offering glimpses into Vietnam’s history, culture, and traditions,” he said.
The exhibition also includes documentaries by Yablonska on everyday life in Vietnam.
A young girl from the Dao ethnic group. In her book “Far Horizons” published in 1939, Yablonska describes the lives of Vietnamese workers thus: “In the fields, the locals, wearing their conical hats, plant seeds in knee-high water. They never take off their hats, which shield them from rain, sun, and even the moon.”
A group of H’Mong women. Yablonska visited many villages and was impressed by the unique languages, clothing, and customs of people living in mountainous areas, which differed significantly from those of plains communities.
“I always approached them with a smile and polite greetings, though I could sense they were wary of Europeans and somewhat avoided contact. On busy market days, I would buy vegetables from them and ask right away about how to eat and cook them.”
Yablonska spent significant time in northern Vietnam, finding the scenery reminiscent of the Carpathian Mountains back home. She lived primarily in Ba Na in Da Nang City and Da Lat City. With her French husband Jean-Marie Oudin, she gave birth to their second son in Vietnam.
An image of the locals carrying goods on their backs while crossing a bridge. Tran Thanh Binh, artist, and director of the Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts, said Yablonska’s photographs are not only artistic but also serve as invaluable historical records.
Yablonska had a special love for photographing young girls in rural villages, often capturing candid moments in their everyday lives.
Her photography also included street scenes in other regions, such as a Khmer farmer riding an ox cart.
Sofia Yablonska, born in 1907, was a writer, photographer, and filmmaker. In her youth, she initially pursued a career in education but later decided it was not for her. At 20 she left her hometown of Halychyna in western Ukraine to study acting in Paris, France. In 1927 she embarked on her first long journey, traveling to North Africa, and soon afterward published her debut travel novel, “The Charm of Morocco.”
In 1929 she traveled across Vietnam, with stops in places like Hanoi, Saigon, and Hue. After spending nearly a decade here, she returned to Europe, settled in Paris, and dedicated herself to writing and translation. She passed away in 1971 in a car accident while on her way to deliver a manuscript to a publisher in Paris.
Photos provided by the Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts
