Palette of happiness- Painting of Vietnam 1950s

(Hanoi Museum of Fine Arts).

Taking a short look at the works of Vietnamese masters in the 1950s, one is constantly amazed at how modern the images created in those harsh times seem. The colors of the paintings themselves are fresh, as if reflecting the variety of shades of the nature of Vietnam, with the dense greenery of tropical plants and the azure tints of the waves of Ha Long Bay, with the golden glow of the sand on the ocean coast and sun-drenched rice fields, with the colorful bustle of flower markets...

Since ancient times, the artistic culture of Vietnam has absorbed all the best achievements and influences from outside. The formation of the Vietnamese artistic tradition was strongly influenced by the Confucian philosophy and Buddhist culture of China, the complex forms and images of Hindu art, and later by the styles and movements of French art. Of course, in the 1950s, as difficult as it may be to guess, the art of socialist realism had a great influence. But with all this, the history of Vietnamese painting seems to be a ball of a bright and strong thread that has never been interrupted, creating a fabric with patterns that express the very soul of Vietnam. And therefore, we will probably not see in the art of Vietnam in the 1950s either the instructive intonations of the Confucian tradition, or Buddhist detachment, or the somewhat proud sophistication of the French school, or a hint of open “polit. agitation,” nor the socialist realist emphasis on ideology. Vietnamese painting, if you try to characterize it literally in “a nutshell,” expresses a hidden admiration for the simplest everyday life, she is a feeling of happiness frozen in colors and a dream of happiness at the same time. In general, taking a quick glance at paintings 1950 from the collection of the Hanoi Museum, the visitor is left with a strange feeling of confidence that the answer to the “damned” question “What is happiness and how to find it?” finally found in the depths of my own heart, melted from the ice of everyday life by the warm palette of Vietnamese masters.

Painting Tran Don Luon, “Happiness”, 1956, painting on silk

The painting by Tran Don Luon, created in 1956, is called “Happiness”. The images of this painting, painted on thin silk, seem to emerge from the haze of the morning fog in the mountains of northern Vietnam, where the artist is from. Silk canvas softens the shades, emphasizes the softness of halftones and light and shadow play, and saturates all the colors of the work with a golden glow. So simply and clearly, elegantly and sincerely, the artist expresses the age-old idea of ​​a happy family, harmonious relationships developing in harmony with the surrounding world, with nature. The harmonious connection between the human world and the natural world is expressed not only by the plot, but also by the coloristic solution: the faded bluish-gray costume of the peasant woman echoes the silvery-bluish, partly ashen, half-tones of the mountains in the distance, which essentially serve as a promising background for the genre scene. Poor peasant life does not look miserable and is not associated with the “heavy burden” of the people, as one might read in old textbooks. The emphasized modesty of clothing, restraint and serenity of gestures, and the artlessness of the hut’s entryway focus our attention on the inner harmony reigning in the hearts of the people depicted. Maybe someone is inclined to think that all this is just an indicator of “primitiveness” and a “backward economy”, or communist “propaganda” of the worker-peasant way of life... One should not rush to conclusions. Let's turn to the centuries-old legend about the happiness of a hero named Chu Dong Tuai. This poor fisherman once met the beautiful royal daughter Tien, who was accustomed to clothes embroidered with gold. The young people fell in love with each other, and Tien ran away from the palace to live in a simple hut with her lover, considering her main wealth to be the nature of her native country, living, sincere feelings, and the smiles of her children. Since then, the love of Chu Dong and Tien is believed to patronize young couples to survive all the hardships of life and preserve their feelings and relationships. And in this picture there is as if an echo of an ancient legend, reminding us, absorbed in the whirlwind big cities, about how to open the doors of happiness. But it was not even the Vietnamese and not at all “communist” philosopher Soren Kierkegaard who said that “the doors of happiness open not inward, but from within.” So, Vietnamese painting is both a confession and a philosophy in colors.

painting by To Ngoc Van “Buffalo Donated After Agrarian Reform”, 1955, watercolor.

But about To Ngoc Van’s painting with the expressive title “Buffalo Donated After Agrarian Reform” one could accurately say “propaganda”, “political order”... and call it a day. Well, I do not!!! And here everything is not so simple! What strikes the Vietnamese way of thinking is, first of all, their independence and ability to adapt any ideas to their own spiritual makeup. Graphic image according to its artistic design in to a greater extent resembles an etude, a sketch, and such a sketchy character serves as an expression of the poetry and internal dynamics of the image. The feeling of impetuous movement is achieved by developing dynamics along the diagonal of the composition. The buffalo seems to look at its new owner with surprise. A discreet smile on a woman’s face expresses calm, confidence and joy. In ancient Vietnamese mythology, the buffalo symbolizes the guardian of the sun. As it is said in legends and fairy tales, at the time of the creation of the world mythical heroes, the heavenly buffalo carried the solar disk on its horns, and began to play with it, tossing it - when the sun jumps in height, then day comes, when it descends on the horns of the heavenly buffalo, then night comes to the world. And this buffalo given to a young peasant woman is a metaphor for hopes for the light of the sun of a new life, free and happy, an image captured by the artist’s swift brush, which stopped not only a moment from the history of Vietnam in the twentieth century, but also the motives ancient legends and myths.

painting “Two girls with a brother” To Ngoc Van, 1954, oil painting

In his painting “Two Girls with a Brother,” To Ngoc Van conveys the joy of spiritual closeness between people, the feeling of happiness from life itself and communication. The white clothes of the young girl sitting on the floor echo the snow-white flowers in the background; her figure symbolizes the purity of the blossoming of youth. The figure of the elder sister looks exquisite, her face is illuminated by inner peace and clarity of thoughts. The slight flickering of light reflexes on the faces and clothes of the girls enhances the expressiveness of the color scheme of the picture. The compositional solution emphasizes the calm, contemplative nature of the scene. The figures of two girls and a child are inscribed in an oval, which makes the dynamics of the composition as if closed inside the pictorial space, creating a special world inside the painting, breathing peace and kindness. A masterfully executed classical compositional scheme, however, does not seem canonical or frozen. The sincerity of the faces and the saturation of the picture with light, the figure of a child dressed in a bright red jacket, childishly naively bright in relation to the color of the picture as a whole - all this gives vitality and a special taste to the depicted scene from everyday life.

Nguyen Duc Nun painting<Прядильная нить>, 1956, lacquer painting

Nguyen Duc Nun in the film “Spinning Thread” does not simply depict a scene of the routine work of spinners during the formation of the independent state of Vietnam, when women had to work every day for 10 or 12 hours to fulfill the plan. In the traditional worldview of the Vietnamese, work is not just a way to survive, to earn a living, it is not a tedious duty, but something like a cult, religious service, as well as a way to maintain sacred traditions, connection and continuity of generations. And in the picture there is a visible embodiment of this philosophical, religious and deeply traditional idea for Vietnam. It is interesting that, unlike the revolutionaries in Russia, the Vietnamese revolutionaries did not at all seek to impose an atheistic ideology, they only strove for national freedom, for political independence. This allowed the Vietnamese to preserve the original folk spiritual values ​​and ancient historical monuments art, and, of course, the most important thing - a traditional way of thinking, not emasculated by any dry ideological schemes. The composition of the painting is based on a comparison of three plans, perspectively contracting and going deep into the pictorial space. In the foreground, a young girl is intently doing her work. The bright yellow color of her sweater is symbolic - in Buddhism it is the color of the spiritual path, because the clothes of Buddha Shakyamuni, when he embarked on the path of wandering in search of truth, leaving his rich father's house, were precisely yellow. This is also the color of youth, the rays of the sun, giving life to all living things. Diligence in work is also asceticism, personal spiritual path, which this young girl starts. In the background is an elderly woman wearing earth-colored clothes. Her element is earth, her image is associated with the fertility of the soil, her work is for the sake of the prosperity of her native land. And the third plane is the actual image of nature, eternal, preserving life, giving strength and faith. Reading the picture like an open book, from one plan to another, from one line to another, we realize that the artist is telling us in colors about the spiritual connection between generations, about the continuity of the thread of life of human culture, eternal and continuous, like the life of nature itself .

Chan Din To, "Wooden Bridge", 1956, watercolor

Chi Ngoc, "Wooden Bridge", 1956, watercolor painting on glue

Often, the image of a bridge appears as a symbol of connection and continuity of generations as the basis of happiness. Symbolically, and not just visibly, connecting the banks, the bridge is metaphorical, it hints at the need for ties between people - friendship, family, cooperation, spiritual connection, mutual understanding of different generations. Shi Ngoc, depicting a shaky wooden bridge, shows how strong it is in the wind - strong, like trees connected by their roots to their native land and capable of being flexible, but not breaking under gusts of wind. In the painting by another artist, Tran Din To, written in the same 1956 as the painting by Chi Ngoc, the theme of the bridge also became central.

Compositionally, the picture is divided into three parts vertically. Below is the river, a symbol of impermanence and change, the mobility of existence, above is the sky, eternal, connected in consciousness with everything sublime and spiritual. Whatever religion the modern Vietnamese peasant professes (and in Vietnam there has always been a high degree of freedom of religion, some are not only Buddhists or followers of the teachings of Confucius and Lao Tzu, but Christians or Muslims), he invariably believes in the ancient wisdom that fertility earth is a sacred gift from heaven, which people must preserve, protect, protect and honor, work on earth, invariably admiring this gift. And it is no coincidence that the bridge here also acts as a metaphor for the connection between heaven and earth, the spiritual and worldly principles in human life. The idea of ​​the unity of spiritual and worldly life seems to be emphasized by the color of the picture - the color of the heavens echoes the color of the muddy waters of the river carrying fertile silt to the fields.

painting by Fan Ke An<Уборка урожая во Вьетбаке>, 1953, lacquer painting

The desire to glorify the fertility of the fields, the beauty of the native land and the alluring mystical space high skies reflected in Phan Ke An’s painting “Harvest in Viet Bac.” The artist worked in the traditional Southeast Asian technique of varnish painting, but the artistic and visual system in this work is based on the principles of European realistic painting. Phan Ke An preferred, like many other craftsmen in Vietnam, to make his own paints for his works. This is the secret of the elusive beauty and originality of shades, uniqueness of halftones, melody color combinations. By mixing crushed sophora shoots and branches in various proportions to create yellow paint, the artist achieves a variety of shades of yellow that realistically convey the richness of the fresh harvest and fill the pictorial space with a sense of the joy of life. The greenish color is achieved using copper oxide and pine resin, the effect of internal radiance is achieved by adding finely crushed mother-of-pearl to the varnish layer. A multi-figure composition in perspective reduction was originally solved. The figures of working peasants in impetuous movement gradually move away from the viewer into the depths of space, becoming barely noticeable points closer to the foot of the high mountains, where the limit of the fertile field is, and as if merging in a single stream with the rhythm of life of nature, forming unity with it and thereby embodying the true harmony of existence . The faces of the peasants are not visible to the viewer; individualism is generally alien to the Vietnamese, but the viewer is conveyed the powerful energy of these people, whose expressive figures are imbued with a feeling of happiness from creative work and a sense of unity and closeness to their native nature.

Wan Bin, painting<Единство народов севера и юга>, 1956, painting with water paints on glue

The image of unity and friendship between the peoples of Vietnam is embodied in Van Binh’s painting “Friendship of the Peoples of the North and South.” The painting was made in complex technology, combining the traditions of Vietnamese lacquer painting and Western European watercolors. Water-based paints are applied by the artist onto a varnish-adhesive base specially prepared for them. After watercolor paints dried, the artist applied new layers of transparent glue on top, which gives the color of the painting a subtle shine and a special grace of shades. The images of two girls, symbolizing the unity of the North and the South, are also associated not only with the historical vicissitudes of the 1950s, but also with the legends of ancient times. For those who are familiar with ancient history and the legends of Vietnam, the images of these girls seem to be an echo of the tales of the legendary Trung sisters, who in the first century AD gathered a powerful army and defeated the Chinese rulers, achieving, albeit for a short time, independence for their people. Van Binh conveys in this picture a very clear metaphor - a call for the north and south, like two legendary sisters, to unite and achieve the absolute liberation of the territory of Vietnam. To better understand what we are talking about here, let us briefly recall the history of the division of Vietnam. The idea of ​​fraternity and unity of the peoples of Vietnam became especially relevant in the 1950s, because in 1954 the territory of Vietnam was divided along the seventeenth parallel into two parts - northern Vietnam, which achieved independence, and southern Vietnam, where the pro-American “puppet” government was strengthened. In Washington, it was decided to rely on Ngo Dinh Diem, who was connected with the CIA, who, of course, not without the support of the American intelligence services, was nominated to the post of prime minister of the puppet government in southern Vietnam, because the United States wanted to turn South Vietnam into a new type of colony. In October 1955, Diem removed Emperor Bao Dai from power through fraudulent elections, after which he proclaimed the creation of the sovereign Republic of Vietnam, which was an objective violation of the Geneva Agreements. Thus, the prospect of Vietnamese reunification was deliberately postponed indefinitely. Diem's ​​serious strategic mistake was the abolition of village self-government in the south, which violated centuries-old Vietnamese traditions, especially the traditions of the South Vietnamese rural way of life. As a result, the peasantry, which made up the bulk of the population of South Vietnam, turned out to be opposed to the Diem government, which began, among other things, repressions against the communist underground that remained in the country after 1954, although it was weak and did not pose a real threat to him. No matter how hard pro-American circles tried to divide the people of Vietnam, this was not possible, and in December 1960 the patriotic forces of South Vietnam created National Front liberation to fight for independence and unification of the country (remember that the north and south of Vietnam eventually united in 1976). So, Van Binh’s painting was, as they say now, “on the topic of the day,” while remaining in close connection with traditional images that echo the legends and centuries-old history of Vietnam.

Lyrical, saturated with the radiance of light and diversity color range, are paintings by Luong Xuan Ni. Contemplative peace fills the landscape, depicting a simple village on the banks of a river. At first glance, the picture seems deserted, the figures of people are only conventionally indicated in the background. However, nature itself seems to be endowed with humanity, spirituality, and a feeling of happiness. Luong Xuan Ni paints in oils, adhering to the traditions of the French school, which is why his colors sometimes resemble the palette of Cezanne or Renoir.

The subtlety of the sense of color is as important for an artist as the accuracy of hearing for a musician. And, as if a refined beautiful melody, from note to note, from chord to chord, conveying the movements of the soul, the color scheme of the landscape sounds. Either yellow highlights flash on the water and foliage, then soft green greenery unites all the colors with an emerald glow and relaxes our gaze, then thick greenery and brownish tree trunks emphasize the color of tropical flora.

Another painting by Luong Xuan Ni is a still life. Flowers in a vase are like the embodiment of a dream about the flourishing of one’s native country, or simply a dream of happiness.

The tablecloth patterns are reminiscent of the naive and dynamic patterns in the paintings of Henri Matisse, but we are not talking about imitation, but rather about the continuity of traditions. Vietnamese artists never copied French masters, but only borrowed and adopted the features they liked, interpreting them on the basis of their own worldview. Flowers in a vase are so simple and delightful, and just as poetic and elegant. I am reminded of the lines of the 11th century Vietnamese poet Man Giac: “Springs pass, hundreds of flowers fall, hundreds of flowers bloom with a new spring.” Flowers are symbols of the changeability and transience of life, and, at the same time, hope for rebirth in the whirlwind of existence.

Mai Long, who was just beginning his career as an artist in the 1950s, depicted a scene from life in the Tai Meo National Autonomous Region in northwestern Vietnam. This region is practically cut off from major commercial and cultural centers of Vietnam high mountains and forests, due to which the Tai-meo people preserved their own unique culture. A young man in love dedicates the melody of the bamboo flute khen to his girlfriend. The girl’s bright clothes echo the color in their inner glow full moon, which brings to mind images from Vietnamese folk poetry, when the beauty of a woman is often compared to the face of the moon illuminating the darkness of the night. Just as the moon gives light to a night landscape, so the beauty of a girl illuminates life. young man with your blessed light. The feeling of the coolness of the night is conveyed in flickering bluish reflections, and it seems that the whole world, the peaks of distant mountains, and thin tree trunks are intently listening to the melody that pierces the silence of the night, warming the air of the night and the girl’s heart.

“Whenever there was no evil winter, the world would forget about spring...” It is with these words that we can complete our short story about Vietnamese painting of the 1950s, which, against the backdrop of the hardships of war, seemed to be a colorful embodiment of the very idea of ​​happiness. These are lines from the famous “Prison Diary” of Ho Chi Minh, written during the years of the harsh struggle for the independence of the Vietnamese people. It was then, in the 1940s, that Nguyen Ai Quoc (translated as Nguyen Patriot, real name was Nguyen Tat Thanh), imprisoned for his struggle, the future leader of free Vietnam, adopted a pseudonym, under which he gained worldwide fame. Translated, the name Ho Chi Minh means endowed with wisdom. Wisdom, as a combination of life experience and observation, a manifestation of natural talent and true humanity, the embodiment of spirituality, kindness and compassion, is precisely the wisdom that leads to happiness and freedom, in a philosophical, and not just a political, understanding. Having taken such a sonorous pseudonym, modest and intelligent, but at the same time strong-willed and irreconcilable in the struggle, the leader of the national liberation movement in Vietnam seems to affirm the idea that it is wisdom that must be guided not only in matters of government, but also in overcoming sharp turns fate. The wisdom of the Vietnamese people in their pursuit of happiness has always been reflected in the fine arts. The pictorial art of the 1950s, with its colors, seemed to herald the arrival of “spring” - the revival of independent Vietnam after the harsh “winter” of wars and deprivations.

To sum up a brief review of works of Vietnamese painting of the 1950s from the collection of the Hanoi Museum, one could say what role they played in the history of Vietnamese art in particular and in the world artistic culture in general, or about how closely the images created by artists are connected with the historical events of those years and with the historical and cultural national tradition. But, probably, it will be enough just to look into your own soul - and this is the result of getting acquainted with the art of Vietnam in those years that are already relatively distant from us. It’s as if we have become somehow richer and wiser, having immersed our eyes and feelings in the palette of happiness.

Lukashevskaya Yana Naumovna, art historian, independent art critic, exhibition curator.

© site, 2011

The ancient and original art of Vietnam has evolved over many centuries. The talented people of this country have created many wonderful monuments of artistic creativity.

Becoming modern painting took place in difficult conditions and is characterized by a number of features. Its source was classical art the Middle Ages, but by the beginning of the 20th century it no longer met new requirements and ideals. The colonization of the country by France clearly affected its development, as a result of which various elements of European culture penetrated into Vietnam. During this period, a rethinking of the medieval heritage took place, due to acquaintance with the best picturesque examples of Europe.
An important role was played by the opening of the Indochina Higher School of Fine Arts in Hanoi in 1924. Its main emphasis was on teaching the basics European painting, but old art was also studied. It was in turning to national origins that the progressive significance of this educational institution lay. Many artists studied there, setting the goal of reviving ancient original art. Thanks to their efforts, ancient painting on silk is gaining importance again, and a new lacquer technique is being developed. It is these species that are currently of greatest interest.

Su Man, Hoan Van Thuan. Varnish. 1982. Rice cleaning. Engraving on varnish. 1981. 67 X 48.

Silk painting was known back in the early Middle Ages. The old masters wrote on long horizontal and vertical strips of silk or soft rice paper, to which wooden rollers were attached along the edges. Water-based mineral and vegetable paints were used. The finished piece was framed in patterned silk. The rebirth of this ancient art form is associated with the name of the outstanding Vietnamese artist Nguyen Phan Tien, whose paintings were a great success at the 1931 International Exhibition in Paris. For his items, Nguyen Fan Tien chose thin, translucent silk and worked in ink and watercolor. The charm of his works was so great that many of his fellow artists followed the example of the master.
The successes of easel varnish technology were not very significant at first. Artists in the 1920-1930s took only the first steps in mastering it. But decorative varnish paintings have been known in Vietnam since the 2nd millennium AD. The varnish was obtained from the sap of shea and cham trees and left for several months in a dark room. Its topmost layer was used to prepare the best quality black varnish, the second layer was used for mixing with dyes, and varnish resin was used for the primary processing of products. The palette of the old masters consisted of only a few colors - gold, black, brown, red, since other dyes darken when mixed with varnish. Colored compounds were used to cover wooden parts of architectural structures, temple sculptures, furniture, screens, decorative boxes, and vases. The use of varnish in easel painting required a change in technology and color palette.

Nguyen Luon Tsu Bac. Road to the village of Zhao Shan. Silk, watercolor. 1982. 58 X 76.

After the victory of the August Revolution of 1945, national art received a new impetus. The process of its formation was successful, despite the wars with the French colonialists and American aggressors. During this difficult period for the country, progressive Vietnamese artists put their talent to the service of the people. Together with the soldiers of the People's Army, they made long marches and took part in battles. Their sketches and drawings glorified the exploits of soldiers and partisans, and the labor achievements of peasants. Cultural life didn't freeze. In 1948, two lacquer painting studios began operating in the northern mountainous region of Viet Bac, where painting techniques were improved along with teaching students. In 1950, an art school was opened here, the director of which was the famous painter To Ngoc Van.
During the years of truce (1954-1965), North Vietnamese artists were given ample creative opportunities. Art institutes are reopening in Hanoi and a number of exhibitions are being organized both domestically and abroad. They are evidence successful development new national art, especially easel painting.
How did the work on the piece go? First, the base is prepared. For it they take dry, light wood, sometimes pressed plywood. Several layers of soil from a specially prepared composition, which includes kaolin, fine sawdust and raw varnish, are applied to the board, covered on all sides with cotton cloth to protect it from cracks. Each layer is dried and carefully polished with pumice.
After applying the primer, the board is covered with several layers of black or brown varnish, each of which is also sanded. Then a preliminary drawing is applied, then the master begins to work with varnish paints - corrections are almost impossible here. The surface of the painting is polished first with rice straw and finally with hand. By the 60s, the color palette of easel paintings expanded. White, blue, pink, purple, various shades green.

Nguyen Van Thi. Fishermen at the mouth of the Han and Khoy rivers. Varnish. 1982. 125 X 190.

Vietnamese painting reached its real flourishing after the unification of the country. Artists from the North and South were given the opportunity to work together. Over the past years, a galaxy of young talents have been trained in art institutes and schools across the country. The oldest masters continue to work successfully.
One of them is Tran Van Can, honorary academician of the Academy of Arts of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. He studied in the 30s at the Higher School of Fine Arts. Worked in various techniques, but his talent was most clearly manifested in oil and varnish painting. Chan Wang Kang is always faithful to his characteristic painting style, in which the “free brush” is combined with the use of gold and silver powder. He was one of the first to use this material. Gold powder coated with a transparent brown varnish gave the most beautiful color effects. One of the artist’s latest works, “Thu Kieu and Kim Chong,” was created based on the famous poem by the medieval poet Nguyen Du, “The Lamentations of a Tormented Soul,” which tells the story of the severe trials that befell the lovers. On a black background, a choppy line outlines the figures of a young man and a girl playing the nguet, a national musical instrument. Chan Wang Kang superbly uses the mysterious shimmer of gold on a black lacquer background to convey a feeling of inner tension and anxiety:
...I tuned the lute to be faithful
There were four melodious, restless strings...
Smooth sounds - the breath of the earth,
the whistle of the wind and the hubbub of the cicadas.
Quick sounds like rain
like a swirling waterfall.
The flame flickers in the lamp. Garden
embraced by a strange languor; and to that
Who listened so passionately,
looking into the surrounding darkness,
I want to cry and sing myself.
Other masters use gold powder differently - Nguyen Van Thi and Nguyen Van Binh. In the painting “Fishermen at the Mouth of the Han and Hoi Rivers” Nguyen Van Thi depicted the return of fishermen from a successful fishing trip. In the foreground they are busy mending nets, behind them a group of men carries wet gear to dry. In the background, on the blue-green surface of the sea, there are many boats with unfurled sails. They are clearly drawn against the red background of the sky. To effectively highlight the silhouette of the sails, the master uses an unusual technique - he glues pieces of fabric onto the surface of the painting, and then covers them with thin sheets of yellow foil. The bright beauty of the landscape and the shine of sparkles help the artist convey the mood of festivity.

Quang Tho. Old militiaman. Varnish. 1984. 90 X 120.

In the painting “Landscape in Hao Binh Province” Nguyen Van Binh depicted a small village among flowering trees. The work is distinguished by its colorful sonority - red earth, brownish-yellow bamboo trunks, silhouette of blue-green mountains. The artist uses gold powder to convey the glow of the sky; denser leaves of foil emphasize the clear graphics of the trees. Another means of expressiveness was the inlay with eggshells. The clothes of peasant women and the figure of a horse are filled with it. Shallow recesses are cut out in the varnish, pieces of shell are placed in them, and secured with a hammer. At the same time, a network of picturesque cracks is formed on the eggshell. This technique was first used in the 30s and 40s.
The artist Quang Tho also works with this material. The background for his painting “Old Militiaman” is made using the inner and outer surfaces of the shell, which have different shades of white. Against this conventional, mosaic-like background, the figures of an old man with a machine gun and girls are highlighted. The laconicism of the compositional structure and the dark, disturbing coloring of the picture reveal its main idea - the determination of the Vietnamese people to defend their independence.
Along with painting with varnish paints of large
Traditional varnish engraving has achieved success. Old masters used it to create decorative items. Modern artists perform easel paintings this way. The background is usually varnish, where a design is cut out and filled with tempera or varnish paints. Su Man, Hoan Van Thuan, Nguyen Nghia Zuen work a lot and fruitfully in the technique of varnish engraving. Their works are characterized by increased decorativeness. The main means of expression is the contrast between shiny varnish and matte, colored surfaces. In Nguyen Nghia Zuyen's Ho Chi Minh and the Pioneers, the cool lacquer sheen is enhanced by the use of warm pinks, reds and purples.

Dang Quy Hoa. The Huk Bridge. Silk, Watercolor. 1982. 45 X 60.

Silk painting remains the most sophisticated form of national art. True, some masters adhere to classical techniques and use natural silk soaked in a special rice water, which prevents the paints from spreading freely. Others write on artificial silk, which is not subject to special treatment. European watercolors are used, much less often - mineral and vegetable ones. To obtain the effect of blurred colors, they also write on wet silk.
Many older artists prefer traditional writing. These include Nang Hien. This master who did not receive art education, is distinguished by an exquisite pictorial manner. He carefully works with texture, applying paints so thinly that the silvery base of the silk shines through them. He writes in local color planes, outlining them with an expressive line. Adhering to the traditions of classical painting, Nang Hien often decorates his paintings with patterned silk. Great place His work features portraits of girls from various nationalities of Vietnam.
In silk painting, the influence of the founder of this art form, Nguyen Phan Tien, is still noticeable to this day. Here, for example, is Huynh Phuong Dong’s painting “Guerrilla Girl from the Cu Chi Region.” She seems to continue portrait gallery female images, started by an older brother.

Nang Hien. A girl of the Ziao ethnic group. Silk, watercolor. 1980. 40 X 60.

High civic spirit is characteristic of many works by Vietnamese masters, who create works dedicated to the heroic past of their country and the theme of peaceful life. Pham Thanh Liem, in his work “Militiamen of the Metallurgical Plant,” writes about a group of young people heading to a work shift with weapons on their shoulders. Dang Quy Hoa in the painting “The Huc Bridge” depicts the favorite hangout of Hanoians - the bridge on the Lake of the Returned Sword in the center of the capital. This work is associated with the heroic past of the Vietnamese people. Outlining the silhouette of an ancient pagoda in the background, the master seems to be throwing a bridge into the past, reminiscent of the medieval legend associated with the Lake of the Returned Sword. Tradition tells that in ancient times the country was attacked by hordes of enemies. The liberation struggle was led by fisherman Le Loi. One day, when he was sitting in thought on the shore of a lake, a turtle swam out of its depths and gave him a magic sword. Le Loy led his brave army into battle and won a decisive victory, driving the invaders out of the country. And the amazing blade was returned to the turtle, which is what the modern name of the lake reminds of.
Contemporary artists with amazing skill convey in painting on silk the lush blossoming of trees, delicate flower petals, rice fields covered with emerald greenery. Painters are concerned with life in all its manifestations. Here the peasants are rushing to the market in the morning, busy planting rice for the peasant woman. The tonal transitions of transparent watercolor seem to dissolve people and objects in a light-air environment.
The painting of Vietnam today, marked by high artistic merit, demonstrates the living and close connection with the life of the people, successfully develops the best traditions of ancient national art.

Paintings in Vietnam are primarily silk and lacquer works contemporary artists. However, you can also find more exclusive paintings - from butterfly wings, chicken feathers, eggshells, mother of pearl, sand, rice and so on. I will tell you in this article what painting is like in Vietnam, where you can buy paintings, and how much they cost.

Fine art in Vietnam began to actively develop only at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries. Before this, local painting largely copied Chinese subjects and techniques. Very few examples of such works have survived to this day. These are various landscapes and portraits made in ink or water paints on silk scrolls. Now they can be seen in historical museums, temples and pagodas.

Everything changed in the century before last, when France colonized Vietnam. European trends have penetrated into all spheres of the country’s culture, including painting. Since then, art schools have begun to open, and many directions have emerged.

Today, the visual arts of Vietnam are represented by both traditional oriental motifs for this country and completely modern, European works. They can be found in art galleries, at private exhibitions, and in stores.

What paintings can you buy in Vietnam?

High-quality Vietnamese paintings are not sold on every corner. If you really intend to find unique work, you need to understand what should be considered for purchase.

I advise you to pay attention to the following pictures:

• Silk
• Varnish

They will surely a good gift or highlight your taste by decorating the interior.

In addition, there are more original works made from:

• Mother of pearl
• Sand
• shells

I will tell you more about all this in the continuation of the article.

Silk paintings

Made in a unique style, with many details, these masterpieces will be appreciated even by those who are far from art. Silk in embroidery allows you to present any, even standard, subject of a painting in a new, memorable way. The work on creating such paintings sometimes takes more than one year; the process itself is very labor-intensive. Therefore, paintings by experienced masters are truly highly valued.

As for prices, the range here is very large. So, a small silk painting can be bought for 900,000-2,700,000 dong. But you need to understand that this is not exactly art - the subjects of such paintings are typical. This is just an inexpensive souvenir that can be presented to friends or colleagues. In addition, there is a possibility that the painting will fade after some time. This indicates that this is a fake. Real silk does not change its color.

Another thing is large-scale exclusive works made in a single copy. Having hung such a picture in your home, you will never hear from your guests a phrase like: “Oh, we have the same one!” As for prices, they range from 1,000,000 dong to 3,000,000,000 dong.

Lacquer paintings are images made special paints and changing color under the influence of varnish. And here the situation is exactly the same as in the case of silk-screen printing: you can find both very simple works and real masterpieces.

The first option is suitable for those looking for an inexpensive gift. Popular prints can be identified as a separate type of such paintings. These are a kind of cartoons and caricatures that play on native Vietnamese comic and everyday stories. Seasoned with local flavor, they arouse great interest among tourists. The technology of their manufacture is very interesting. First, a plot is cut out on a wooden surface, then the artist draws the image on top of the wood with colored paints. It is important to note that these paints are exclusively of natural origin.

You can even buy such paintings in souvenir shops and shops. As for the price, you can find interesting images for up to 200,000 VND.

But if you're looking for something more original, check out art galleries and lacquer factories. There you can buy lacquer paintings at prices ranging from VND 9,000,000 to VND 23,000,000.

Original paintings made from natural materials

To create paintings, the Vietnamese use not only paints and varnish - almost all available materials are used.

Here are just a few of them:

Nacre

Shiny shells that shimmer in the light began to be used for inlay back in the 11th century. Today it is one of the traditional genres in Vietnamese painting. For this purpose, mother-of-pearl is even purchased from China, Singapore and some other countries in Southeast Asia.

The inlay process itself is very complex and consists of several stages:

1. The artist first makes a sketch on paper and then copies it on a wooden base.
2. Next, recesses are cut into the wood into which the mother-of-pearl will be placed. At the same stage, it is necessary to correctly select and arrange the shells. Different types of mother-of-pearl have their own shades, and they should be combined with each other. The shells are cut on special machines and then glued onto a wooden surface.
3. But that’s not all - the future painting is polished, and then the master manually carves fancy patterns on the shells.

Natural mother of pearl is very fragile, and one careless movement can ruin the work. Therefore, before cutting the shells, they are prepared in a special way: first, they are soaked in an alcohol solution and then heated.

Usually a varnished board is used as a base. Since mother of pearl looks best on dark background, then the varnish is often chosen to be almost black. This gives the paintings a mystical character. The most popular subjects are sketches from the life of peasants, animals and plants.

The cost of such paintings is quite high and can reach 10,000,000-15,000,000 dong. The specific price depends largely on the type of shells used and the level of detail. The most expensive paintings can be inlaid with hundreds of thousands of small pieces of mother-of-pearl. However, souvenir shops often sell much simpler things, without much elaboration. Their cost varies between 300,000-800,000 dong.

If you want to find real masterpieces, you need to go to the Chuyên Mỹ community, which is 40 kilometers south of Hanoi. Here local residents Inlays have been practiced since ancient times. Their works are sold not only in Vietnam, but also in European countries, in Russia and the USA.

Sand

This is a completely new art form for Vietnam, invented by local self-taught artist Tran Thi Hoàng Lan, better known under the pseudonym Y Lan. Since the early 2000s, sand paintings have gained immense popularity far beyond the country's borders, and Yi Lan opened her own company - Ý Lan Sand Painting CO., LTD.

The essence of the technique is that between two vertically located glasses, sand of different shades is poured in a certain order (there are more than 80 of them in total). It would seem that there is nothing special about this, but in fact such work is incredibly complex and painstaking. Indeed, even portraits of people are depicted in sand paintings. If you fill the grains of sand incorrectly, you will have to start all over again.

It is noteworthy that the first paintings by Yi Lan were fairly simple three-color images. Today, the artist’s collection of works includes images of animals, portraits of famous politicians, even logos of major brands. Everything is done with such naturalism that the sand painting is difficult to distinguish from a photograph.

The Yi Lan workshop is located in Ho Chi Minh City, all work is carried out to order, and prices are agreed separately with each client. Of course, there are many imitators who try to copy this technique. Their works are sold in souvenir shops at prices ranging from 150,000 to 250,000 VND. But the level of detail there is completely different.

Often the masterpieces of the famous artist are confused with more primitive “sand paintings”. It's about about ordinary images (on canvas or wood), which are simply inlaid with small grains of sand. Such things can be found in any market, they are quite cheap (100,000-500,000 dong).

Rice

Rice paintings are also a fairly new technique. The grains of this plant have different shades, depending on the variety. So, rice can be gray, white, cream, yellow, brown, red and even black. In addition, additional tones can be achieved by roasting the beans. And finally, there are round, medium and long grain rice. All this allows you to lay out a variety of drawings from it.

Starting work, the artist draws a sketch of the future painting on a piece of plywood. Then, using special colorless glue and tweezers, grains of rice are glued onto this sketch. This activity requires a lot of perseverance and attention. Rice grains should be smooth and whole. Typically, laying out the grains takes from several days to several weeks. Finally, the painting is exposed to the sun, where it dries.

The subjects of such works can be very different. But most often, artists depict traditional Vietnamese landscapes, animals or birds. There are also portraits – very elaborate ones at that.

As for prices, they directly depend on the size of the painting and image. Thus, miniature landscapes (20x20 cm), in which there are not many objects, can be bought for 600,000-700,000 dong. If the painting is large, detailed, and even custom-made, then it can cost several million dong. Rice paintings are sold in markets and souvenir shops. But there you can only choose something from ready-made works. And if you need a painting to order, you should contact the artist directly.

Shell

Common eggshells are white and ocher in color. Is it possible to create from it real picture? It turns out - yes. You just need patience, accuracy and a lot of time.

The basis for future work is wood or plywood. It is covered with black paint - it is against this background that the eggshell looks most impressive. Then they begin to lay out the drawing. And here, unlike rice paintings, the master has much more opportunities. It can crush the shell into particles different sizes to most accurately convey the details of objects. Lighter areas are lined with white shells; for others, ocher shells are used. The darkest elements of the picture are not laid out at all - there is a black background for this. At the final stage, the painting is covered with several layers of varnish (there can be more than 10) and sanded.

In other words, shell paintings are a well-known mosaic. They are sold everywhere and cost about the same as rice ones.

In addition, there are more original works made from chicken feathers, butterfly wings, various herbs and plants... Most of them can only be found in certain cities or villages, and besides, this art is not for everyone.

Walking along the streets of Vietnamese cities, you will meet everywhere art galleries, exhibitions, and just souvenir shops where artists’ creations are sold. But we must understand that here, as in any other country, there are real works of art, copies, and even fakes.

In order not to bring a picture printed on a printer with you from Vietnam, you should pay attention to the following points:

• Do not buy paintings in markets and stores that do not specialize in painting. Most likely, you will not buy an object of art, but an ordinary trinket, and even pay exorbitant prices.
• Be prepared to pay a decent amount of money even for a small job. The paintings belong to the category of exclusive goods, so their prices are quite high.
• When purchasing silk and varnish paintings, I advise you to ask the seller for a certificate. It must indicate that the item you purchased is not an antique or piece of art. The fact is that their export outside the country is prohibited.

As you can see, the paintings in Vietnam are quite varied. The price range is also very wide. I hope that this article will help you understand local painting and choose something to your liking.

The Vietnamese are creative people with his own approach to art. There is a lot of unusual and colorful things in Vietnamese paintings made from a variety of materials. We want to tell you about some of them, because perhaps you didn’t even suspect that works of art could be created from such scrap materials. At the same time, we will touch upon both ancient ways of self-expression of artists and the most modern ones.

Silk embroidered paintings

The huge number of shades used to create paintings and the delicate painstaking work of skilled craftswomen have made Vietnamese silk embroidered paintings famous throughout the world. Natural landscapes and portraits of people come to life in the paintings. The double-sided paintings are especially surprising. All works are also distinguished by the effect of three-dimensionality of the image. Paintings by craftswomen can be seen at the silk factory in Dalat. This is not just a factory, but a beautiful exhibition hall where you can admire the stunning works of embroiderers and, if you wish, buy your favorite painting. In addition, visitors can see how girls work on creating these amazing paintings right in the halls.

Lacquer paintings

Varnish is a durable waterproof material and the Vietnamese create with it beautiful pictures, decorate boxes, trays, screens and other objects with lacquer images. Working with varnish requires certain skills, because this material hardens quickly. Craftsmen must act quickly and carefully. You can see lacquer paintings in a workshop in Ho Chi Minh City, going there on a sightseeing tour. The workshop has a variety of items from large chests of drawers to tiny boxes that can be purchased as souvenirs.

Chicken feather paintings

Such unique works can be seen in the ancient district of Hoi An, they are created by an artist named Dinh Thong. Since childhood, he was interested in fine arts, drew using traditional paints and pencils, made collages from paper, and then decided to introduce something completely new and unusual into his work and made his first painting from chicken feathers. Usually the artist uses feathers from Vietnamese birds, and they come in four colors: black, white, brown and gray. Dinh Thong glues feathers onto cardboard, thereby creating landscapes, portraits or abstract compositions. These unusual paintings are characterized by durability, color fastness, and most importantly, originality.

Bas-relief glass engraving SOVA

This type of art is not ancient. It appeared after glass mosaics were brought to Vietnam from Europe. SOVA glass paintings were invented thanks to Fan Hong Vin. It was he who developed new technology bas-relief engraving on glass. Using this technique, the artist turns ordinary glass tiles into works of art. Vinh invented a special sandblasting machine that is used to process frosted glass, and also came up with a method for clouding crystal products. Engraving is used not only to create ordinary paintings, but also to make various elements of room decor: doors, walls, partitions. A beautiful effect is created when the light falls on the glass: the space becomes sparkling! The paintings depict flowers and plants, animals, people or natural landscapes.

Rice paintings

As you know, rice for the Vietnamese is the most important cereal and product on the table. Vietnamese people value and respect rice. It is not surprising that rice came to the sphere visual arts. Using rice grains, artists working in Huu Cuong Nguyen's workshop create unique paintings that depict the nature of Vietnam and the people living and working in the country. For work, craftsmen choose strong grains of equal size. In order to give the beans different shades, they are roasted at different temperatures. Experienced professionals can produce more than ten shades of rice. To stick the rice onto the base, viscous milk glue is used. Finished paintings dried in the sun. Craftsmen spend from six to twelve days to produce one painting.

Butterfly wing paintings

Paintings from butterfly wings are created by Vietnamese professor Bui Cong Hien. He took up this work after leaving teaching at the Faculty of Biology at the Hanoi Institute. Together with engineer Dang Ngoc Anh, they began breeding butterflies to create paintings. During the work, a special, specially developed type of glue is used, which preserves the natural delicacy of butterfly wings. Now the professor and engineer are hatching an idea to teach peasants how to breed butterflies and create amazing and unusual paintings so that they can increase their income.

Paintings from different natural materials

In some interior luxury Vietnamese stores, you can see original paintings created by a group of Ourway students. They are made from natural materials and it is not immediately possible to guess that the masters used eggshells, plant roots, hay, sawdust and straw for their works. It is interesting that students try not to paint the materials for their paintings. They find colorful sawdust and use the shells of not only chicken eggs, but also duck and quail eggs. On initial stage the sketch is applied to the base with a pencil, then future picture covered with glue on which they are applied various materials. All paintings are original and not similar to each other, which is their special value.

When you look at amazing bright pictures a young Vietnamese artist named Phan Thu Trang, they seem to be three-dimensional, and are made of sticker sheets glued to canvas. But upon closer examination, it becomes clear that this is “oil on canvas” - and a palette knife. We are already familiar with palette knife painting, when the artist applies paint to the canvas not with a brush, but with the help of a small spatula knife, thanks to creativity and its colorful autumn landscapes. Phan Thu Trang’s paintings are just as colorful, albeit with a predominance of Vietnamese flavor.

Frankly, we do not know what paintings the young artist participated in the exhibitions with. But if we look at the works that are sold in art galleries today, we can say with confidence that most of all the author likes to paint trees. And those that you can’t tell the time of year. It seems that the paintings depict early autumn with its riot of colors, but it could also be late summer, or a snowy winter...

Multi-colored trees with small figures of their compatriots are a favorite theme of Phan Thu Trang, this is a fact. But nevertheless, neither viewers nor fans of her work complain when they buy up colorful canvases for their apartments, galleries, country houses or offices.
For some time now, Phan Thu Trang has been a member of the Vietnam Association of Young Artists.