ASEAN PAINTINGS: Exhibition pays tribute to talented lacquer artist By Nguyễn Huyến.- Viet Nam News

Rural life: The 100 đồng banknote with a picture of farmers and a blue buffalo painted by Nguyễn Huyến. — Photo courtesy of Chọn’s Auction House

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HÀ NỘI — The art of Nguyễn Huyến (1915 – 1994), a talented lacquer artist, is featured at an exhibition that runs in Hà Nội from tomorrow through April 2.The exhibition is divided into four parts including lotus, landscape, portraits and golden fishes, presenting the main subjects and creative styles pursued by Huyến during his career.On display are 50 lacquer and oil on canvas paintings, including some of his most famous, such as “Landscape of Thác Bờ” and “Mẫu Tử” (Mother and Son).

Huyến is known as the painter of the 100 đồng banknote issued in 1946. People often called it “blue buffalo note” because it depicted farmers working in a field alongside an eye-catching blue buffalo. The note represented Vietnamese agriculture and production.

Huyến was the co-founder of the Việt Nam Fine Arts Association.

“Contrasting with the calm personality of Nguyễn Huyến, the tone of his artworks is strong and deep,” said art expert Trần Quốc Hùng, curator of the exhibition. “Beyond the milestones he set on the artistic journey of Việt Nam as a whole, we are dazzled by his hard work, through which he produced a large volume of works with high artistic value – the fruits of the silent performance by a modest artist.”

“He most assuredly conducted elaborate and exhaustive research through any topic or material of every painting,” Hùng said.

The exhibition of selected paintings will be held at Chọn’s Auction House, 17 Trần Quốc Toản Street, Hà Nội. An auction of these paintings will take place on April 29 at the same venue.

This is also an opportunity for collectors, investors and the public to get a comprehensive look at the creative life of the gifted artist.

Nguyễn Văn Minh, a visitor to the exhibition, said he admired the talent of artist Huyến.

“During his career, the lotus was the only flower that Huyến loved to paint. Among many paintings of lotus, not one looks like any other.”

Earlier, the painting “Dáng Ngọc” (Natural Beauty) by Huyến was auctioned for US$45,000 at the Chọn’s Auction House. — VNS