In 1884, the French empire in Indo-China further expanded to incorporate Annam and Tonkin 1, in addition to Cochinchina 2. In 1885, the French authorities in Vietnam introduced a new type of currency called the “silver piastre de commerce”, which would be used across the entire Indo-Chinese colonies. This move aimed to stabilize the monetary system in the region 3. The note depicts three women wearing traditional clothing of Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam situated on the left side of the note. Considering that this note was made by French colonials, the design aspect is greatly influenced by the Arts and Crafts movement, particularly the Owen Jones ideals of using flowers as a supporting element to the main subject 4, by the look of the border and supporting elements. Behind the women are trees that are local to their environments, and the border is decorated with illustrations of local flowers, possibly with the intention to enhance the image of the women.
1 Nowadays Central and Northern Vietnam
2 Nowadays area around Mekong Delta and Saigon
3 Howard A. Daniel, The Catalog and Guidebook of Southeast Asian Coins and Currency, vol. 1 (Howard Daniel, 1997).
4 Jones, Owen. “General Principles (originally published in 1856).” Essay . In The Grammar of Ornament: A Visual Reference of Form and Colour in Architecture and the Decorative Arts. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2016.
