VietNamNet Bridge – Late artist Nguyen Van Ty used his creativity to contribute to the growth of traditional lacquer painting, Tran Khanh Chuong, chairman of Viet Nam Fine Arts Association said.

Lacquer painting Nha Tranh Goc Mit by Nguyen Van Ty in 1958.

"Nguyen Van Ty created art works in different genres such as lacquer, silk and oil on canvas. He was known for using eggshells to make lacquer paintings, which was unique," Chuong said, during an event to celebrate the 100th birth anniversary of the artist recently in Ha Noi.

"In the late 1930s and 1940s, titanium white powder was not available to colour lacquer paintings. So, he used a large amount of eggshells and oyster shells to get the white colour in his lacquer paintings.

"He not only trained many artists, but also made great contributions towards the growth of the association in the early days. We are proud of Nguyen Van Ty because of his efforts to develop Vietnamese fine art," said Chuong.

Nguyen Van Ty (1917-1992) was born in Ha Noi. He studied at the Indochina School of Fine Art from 1936 to 1941, along with Hoang Tich Chu and Nguyen Tien Chung, who were his classmates.

In 1936, he won the first prize at an exhibition organised by Annamese Association for the Encouragement of Art and Industry — a society of artists and artisans that operated from 1935 to 1939 with French artist Victor Tardieu as its first chairman.

Over the next few years, many of his works were sent abroad to be part of international exhibitions in France, Brussels, Indonesia and the US. In the summer of 1942, he visited and painted at Angkor Wat in Cambodia.

A year later, as part of a cultural exchange with Japan, involving Japanese artist Fujita Tsuguhary, he was invited with Nam Son and Luong Xuan Nhi to research and exhibit in three Japanese cities of Tokyo, Kyoto and Kobe.

In 1946, Ty became involved in the national resistance against the French colonialists. During that time, he wrote for newspapers, made propaganda posters and taught art students in Viet Bac.

On his return to Ha Noi after the French resistance, he taught at the Viet Nam Fine Arts College, a post that he held until 1969. He was also appointed as the first General Secretary of the Viet Nam Fine Arts Association. His paintings were shown at exhibitions in the country, as well as in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe.

In 1965, one of his painting carved on wood won the silver medal at an international exhibition for graphic arts in Leipzig, Germany.

Artist Ty died in Ha Noi. He was posthumously awarded the Ho Chi Minh prize in 2000 for his lacquer painting series, including Nha Tranh Goc Mit (Rural House with Jackfruit Tree) in 1958; Bac Nam Thong Nhat (Unification of North and South) in 1961; and Phong Canh (Landscape) in 1991.

His works are part of the permanent collections of the State Museum of Oriental Art in Moscow and the Viet Nam National Fine Arts Museum in Ha Noi.

"His techniques to develop lacquer paintings are recognised worldwide, especially for colouring in white and turquoise," Dr. Le Van Suu, head of Viet Nam Academy of Fine Arts, said. "He was the teacher of many generations of Vietnamese artists."

VNS