W. Robert Moore (1899–1968), a leading photographer and staff writer for National Geographic Magazine, provided a groundbreaking visual record of Vietnam, then part of French Indochina, during the 1930s. His work was significant not only for its extensive geographical coverage but also for his pioneering use of early natural color photography, capturing the vivid scenes of the country using new films like Kodachrome.
Moore’s lens often focused on the traditional and the majestic: documenting the rice paddies, the bustling marketplaces of Hanoi and Saigon, and the serene beauty of ancient temples and monuments along what he referred to as the old Mandarin Road. His articles and photographs presented an evocative, yet often exoticized, portrait of the region to Western audiences, showcasing the intricate customs and traditional dress of the Vietnamese people amidst the dramatic backdrop of colonial influence and lush Southeast Asian landscapes.
These beautiful color photos, taken by W. Robert Moore, capture life in Vietnam from the early 1930s.
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| Annamese men and women walk to the market along the Mandarin Road, Vietnam, circa July 1930 |
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| A civil mandarin poses in his winged scholar's bonnet, Hue, Vietnam, 1931 |
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| A class of students pose for National Geographic Magazine, Hue, Vietnam, 1931 |
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| A princess of Hue is fanned by her maids, Hue, Vietnam, 1931 |
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| A royal princess of Hue dressed in her royal robes, Hue, Vietnam, 1931 |
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| A view of an inner gateway to the Royal Palace at Hue, Vietnam, 1931 |
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| A view of Annam's memorial to fallen World War soldiers, Hue, Vietnam, 1931 |
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| A view of the brick towers built by the ancient chams, Vietnam, 1931 |
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| A view of the thatched mud huts of the Tho people in the wooded hills, Tongking, Vietnam, 1931 |
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| A woman sells products of an Annam woodcarving factory, Vietnam, 1931 |
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| An informal group portrait of Hue schoolgirls on a picnic, Vietnam, 1931 |
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| Children stand in front of a screen that keeps evil spirits away, Faifo, Vietnam, 1931 |
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| Large sunshade hats protect these men from the tropic sun, Vietnam, 1931 |
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| Old Mandarin Road enters China from the north through the China Gate, Vietnam, 1931 |
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| The daughter of Annamese royalty poses, Hue, Vietnam, 1931 |
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| These two military mandarins serve the court, Hue, Vietnam, 1931 |
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| Two bonzes of Hue stand beside an Annamite priest, Vietnam, 1931 |
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