Danh họa Tô Ngọc Vân

Book on famous painter To Ngoc Van’s sketches released

PANO – The Tri Thuc Publishing House on December 6th released a book, “To Ngoc Van-Mirror of Vietnam society from 1906 to 1954”, by painter and fine arts researcher Phan Cam Thuong. Painter To Ngoc Van (1906-1954) was born in Xuan Cau hamlet, Nghia Tru commune, Van Giang district, Hung Yen province. In 1926, he was admitted into the Indochina Fine Arts College. During his time in school, Van was engrossed in learning Western visual arts, especially oil-painting. Later, he achieved fame with many works, such as: “Thieu nu ben hoa hue” (Woman by a Lily) in 1943, “Hai thieu nu va em be” (Two Women and a Little Girl) and “Thieu nu voi hoa sen” (Women by a Lotus) in 1944. After the August 1945 revolution, the painter broke with old topics and embarked on a new carrier, starting off with a painting on President Ho Chi Minh working at the Tonkin Governor’s Palace (now the Government Guest House) in 1946. Due to shortages of painting materials during the resistance war against the French colonists, Van began making hundreds of sketches, reflecting daily lives, production activities and fights against the enemy of workers, farmers and soldiers. He intended to use these sketches for his works later, but unfortunately, he died on his way to the Dien Bien Phu Capaign in 1954. Translated by Van Hieu
Source: TALK VIETNAM - DECEMBER 7, 2013