The Artist

1922–2016 Nghe An Vietnam

Nguyen Tu Nghiem is one of the most well-known and revered masters of Vietnamese painting whose works depict traditional life in the village imbued with a modern spirit. A pioneer in exalting the folklore and traditions of Vietnam he worked in various mediums of lacquer, silk, gouache on paper and oil on canvas.

Born in 1922 in Nghe An to a scholarly cultured family, Nghiem started creating art when he was a child, always seeking instruction from Vietnam’s celebrated artists. In 1941 he studied at the Indochina Fine Arts College taught by the well-known painter To Ngoc Van who introduced him to Western art and culture. Traveling to the countryside with artist Nguyen Do Cung, visiting pagodas, temples and traditional craft villages also provided material inspiration for his works. Cung would later in 1966 establish the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum in Hanoi. Nghiem credits both revered artists for their knowledge of traditional culture and fine art which became the basis of his works.

Nghiem, together with his college friends Nguyen Sang, Bui Xuan Phai and Duong Bich Lien formed the famous four Sang-Nghiem-Lien-Phai, who represent the “second generation” of Vietnam’s modern art scene. Nghiem’s works are highly prized, and he is one of the most well-known artists from Vietnam internationally.

Known for his meticulous research, the artist would spend years working on one theme as in his series of Ancient Dance, the 12 animals of the Zodiac and the legendary hero Saint Thanh Giong, now a UNESCO heritage treasure. In 2013, his lacquer painting Thanh Giong (Saint Giong) was exhibited at Cambridge University’s Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology in celebration of 40 years of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the U.K. Works of Nghiem’s tend to be rare these days and can be found occasionally in auction houses in France, Hong Kong, and Singapore.

Thanh Giong 1975 is a rare work by this acclaimed artist, purchased directly from the artist in his studio in 1994. Thanh Giong is a mythical folk hero in Vietnamese history who grows from a boy into a giant hero riding on an iron horse leading the ancient kingdom of Vietnam to victory over the Chinese. Many works of art, sculpture and epic poems have been created to honor this legendary hero.