Painter Luong Xuan Doan affirmed that the 26 Kieu works are entirely original creations by Nguyen Tu Nghiem, being published for the first time - so new that even many within Vietnam’s art circles have never seen them.

On January 10 in Hanoi, a talk was held to introduce a special edition of Kim Van Kieu by writer-translator Nguyen Van Vinh, along with an exhibition of 26 previously unpublished Kieu paintings by renowned artist Nguyen Tu Nghiem.

Luong Xuan Doan, President of the Vietnam Fine Arts Association, described the 26 Kieu paintings as an exceptional project - one that, for the first time, presents the world of characters in Truyen Kieu in a fuller, more systematic and more complete way through painting.

According to him, the creator of the series - Nguyen Tu Nghiem - possessed “a slender, delicate soul, choosing joy in his hometown and carrying a special love for Nguyen Du’s work. When studying character personalities, he laid down lines very lightly, placing in the paintings a profound compassion for Kieu’s fate. That very sense of airiness and gentleness creates a distinct value, giving today’s viewers a chance to contemplate a very different Kieu.”

The series does not recreate old scenes exactly as they were. Instead, it draws on traditional painting materials to awaken memory currents and the Vietnamese spirit in a new visage.

Luong Xuan Doan said that in past conversations he had never heard the artist speak much about his creative process, yet through the paintings one can see the painter’s heart - someone who, from childhood, devoted a deep love to national art.

A standout feature of the series lies in its linework: it carries echoes of Chinese figure-making - reflecting the origins of many allusions in the story - while blending with Vietnamese lines, Vietnamese sensibility and local aesthetics. That fusion creates a Kieu that feels both familiar and strange, classical yet unmistakably Vietnamese.

Luong Xuan Doan said Nguyen Tu Nghiem typically applied color before line, producing a particular emotional depth. The paintings also concentrate intensely on facial expression and character, on the “carpet” of lines and the “carpet” of color.

In the view of the Vietnam Fine Arts Association president, this is a series of special value - both a professional milestone for the painter and a contribution that enriches Vietnam’s treasury of Truyen Kieu illustration in the country’s visual arts life.

At the talk, Professor Tran Dinh Su said that Kim Van Kieu translated into quoc ngu by Nguyen Van Vinh is among the early and important Kieu versions, helping readers better understand Vietnam’s literary modernisation process as well as the role of transitional-era intellectuals in popularising quoc ngu and fostering an appreciation for the nation’s classical literature and language.

The 2025 special edition of Kim Van Kieu published by Nha Nam also shows that Nguyen Tu Nghiem’s Kieu paintings continue the tradition of illustrating Kieu that began in the early 20th century, with the participation of many notable artists such as , Nguyen Van Ty, Nguyen Do Cung, Mai Trung Thu, Vu Cao Dam, Manh Quynh and others.

Some Kieu works on display: