Mentor memento: Veteran artist Le Lam autographs a print of a drawing he sketched of his teacher To Ngoc Van. — VNS File Photo

HCM CITY  (VNS)— Thai collector of Vietnamese paintings, Tira Vanichtheeranont, is offering to donate autographed prints of a portrait of legendary painter To Ngoc Van sketched by his eminent student Le Lam.

Vanichtheeranont said his offer is open to interested public organisations and academic institutions in Viet Nam.

He said the prints have very special value because the original (still held by Le Lam), carries signatures of all students from the first class of the To Ngoc Van School; and the prints are personally autographed by 82-year-old Lam.

Out of nine high quality 110x145cm prints the Thai collector has been allowed to make, one has been given to To Ngoc Van's family, one has been retained by Lam and another donated to the Viet Nam Fine Arts Museum.

"If some one realizes the importance of this drawing and would like to have it for public purposes, then I will give them as a gift from me," the Thai collector said.

Artist Le Lam, a graduate of the Ha Noi College of Fine Arts (formerly known as Fine Arts College of Indochina), moved to the south in 1965 in order to join the anti-American War.

He felt he had a duty to use his art and convince the American troops to refuse to fight.

His paintings inspired Vietnamese troops, guerrilla fighters as well as young women serving as couriers.

Lam returned Ha Noi in 1974 with a treasure trove of more than 1000 paintings and drawings.

The veteran artist is now working on a lacquer painting of the sketch of his teacher To Ngoc Van, which will be displayed later in an exhibition of Van's work that is part of Vanichtheeranont's collection. — VNS