Book released to commemorate painter Trần Văn Cẩn

Bilingual Vietnamese – English book Trần Văn Cẩn – Selected Works from in the Collection of Việt Nam Fine Arts Museum was published on the 30th anniversary of artist Trần Văn Cẩn’s death. Photo courtesy of Việt Nam Fine Arts Museum

 HÀ NỘI — A bilingual book on late artist Trần Văn Cẩn has been launched at Việt Nam Fine Arts Museum to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the artist’s death in 1994.

The Vietnamese – English book entitled Trần Văn Cẩn – Selected Works from in the Collection of Việt Nam Fine Arts Museum has over 200 pages including writings, images and information about Cẩn’s paintings which are part of the museum’s collection. 

Artist Cẩn was one four leading artists of the first generation of Vietnamese modern fine arts alongside Nguyễn Gia Trí, Tô Ngọc Vân, Nguyễn Tường Lân and Trần Văn Cẩn. 

“He, together with the ‘golden generation’ of the Indochina College of Fine Arts, laid the foundation for the Việt Nam’s modern and contemporary fine arts of the 20th century and the diversification that followed in the 21th century,” said  chairman of the Việt Nam Fine Arts Association, Lương Xuân Đoàn. 

“Since he was young, the artist showed the skills, spirit and dignity of a leader. Enduring the two resistance wars with numberous hardships, he was always devoted to the people and to country through his talented brush strokes in each and every artwork.”

The book introduces more than one hundred of his works and words by Cẩn, his friends and articles. 

Born in the northern province of Bắc Ninh in 1910, Cẩn was one of the greatest painters of modern Vietnamese art whose works have brought Vietnamese fine arts to the global level.

The book took four years to compile by the museum’s editors.

There are several paintings in the book including silk painting Ở Hang (In A Cave).

Painting in 1951, Cẩn depicts two women of Thổ ethnicity wearing indigo dresses as they sit sewing at the cave entrance alongside several children. The cave features as a segment of shiny black with fine and deep chroma. 

But his best known work is Em Thúy (Little Sister Thúy) which he portrayed his eight-year old niece seated on a chair. The painting is probably Việt Nam’s most famous portraits and is in the museum’s collection. 

Painted in 1943 in oil at size 60cm by 45cm, the artist depicted Thúy in bright white clothes. She sits on the chair, slightly leaning, with her hands closed, suggesting she was a little shy. 

Little Sister Thúy is one of the typical portraits of 20th century Việt Nam and the work was recognised as national treasure in 2013.

At the book launch, the museum received musical composition Little Thuy’s Minuet by Paul Zetter. The piece was inspired by Cẩn’s painting Little Sister Thúy. Zetter was assistant director of British Council in 1998 in Việt Nam and he composed it in response to the eauty of the painting. 

“I’m very honoured to be part of this book launch event,” said Zetter. “When I arrived in Việt Nam I composed the minuet and then I was lucky enough to meet Thúy’s son and then herself.

“Like everyone I was so sad to hear of her passing last month. But like the painting, her life was full and rich personifying the Vietnamese character of intelligence, perseverance, courage, beauty and pride.”

This is the first time the museum has received a musical work. It will be used in the museum’s digital platforms as part of their brand identity. VNS