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Meaningful: Visitors sense the mightiness of the war for independence as well as the solidarity and resilient spirit of the Vietnamese people in the paintings displayed at the exhibition Imprints of Time. — VNA/VNS Photo Trong Duc |
HA NOI — Colourful and soulful brush strokes make war paintings by the late Duong Huong Minh seem less cruel in their perspective.
Entitled Dau An Thoi Gian (Imprints of Time), 80 of Minh's watercolours and lacquer paintings are on show in Ha Noi until April 30, selected from his 1,000 artworks.
Born in 1919 in the northern province of Hung Yen, Minh was among the first graduates of the Indochina School of Fine Arts. He first romantic themes were shown in his Vuon Mong (Eden) and Gio-Buom-Hoa (Wind-Butterfly-Flower).
During 1943-44, he created various sketches which he then used for his critical realism oil-on-canvas paintings, including Day Do Cua Ga Hang Co (Push Down the Hang Co Railway Station's Door), Cong Nhan Di Tam Trong Suong Mu (Going to Work in Fog), and Xep Hang Cho Gao va Chet Doi (Wait for Rice and Die of Hunger).
Many of his paintings were lost during a raid by French invading forces in 1947.
After 10 years in the Vietnamese military, fighting against the French, Minh came back in 1957 with his lacquer painting Keo Phao (Pull Up the Cannon), which represents the mightiness of the war for independence as well as the solidarity and resilient spirit of Vietnamese people during the war.
Pull Up the Cannon was displayed at an exhibition in Moscow in 1959 of artists from socialist countries. It was also exhibited in different Eastern European countries during 1960-61 and was used as the model for an embroidery presented to Chinese Chairman Mao Zedong by President Ho Chi Minh. Other famous war-themes by Minh include Truong Son Mua La Do (Red-Leave Season in Truong Son Range), Giap Tran (Hand-to-Hand Fighting), and Chien Thang Dien Bien Phu (Dien Bien Phu Victory).
In 2001, Minh's lacquer painting Du Phai Dot Chay Day Truong Son Cung Phai Gianh Doc Lap (Gain Independence Even at the Cost of Burning the Truong Son Range), was given to General Vo Nguyen Giap on his 90th birthday by the Museum of Military History.
The exhibition opens until April 30 at the Museum of Military History, 28A Dien Bien Phu Street, Ha Noi.
Museum director Major General Le Ma Luong said the exhibition was a "meaningful activity to celebrate the 35th anniversary of national reunification" on April 30. — VNS