Biography of Nguyen Van Ty
Nguyen Van Ty (24/02/1917 – 19/01/199 ), was born in Hanoi, Vietnam.
• In 1934 – 1935, he studied at the Indochina Fine Arts School.
• In 1936, he passed the entrance exam to the Indochina Fine Arts School with painters Hoang Tich Chu, Nguyen Tien Chung, Bui Trang Chuoc, Tran Van Lam…
• 1936 – 1940, Ty had many works to participate in exhibitions of the Vietnam Association for the Promotion of Fine Arts and Organizational Technology (SADEAI), the Indochina Association of Artists Cooperation held in Vietnam and abroad such as: Paris (France), Batavia (Indonesia), Brussels (Belgium) and in San Francisco (USA)…
• In 1941, Nguyen Van Ty graduated with three works of Ha Long Bay – lacquer; Cham temple festival – lacquer; Moon rise – wood carving
• In 1943 – 1944, he worked as a stage decorator of The Lu troupe in Hanoi.
• In 1945, Ty became a member of the Executive Committee of the Cultural Association for National Salvation, wrote articles for the Tien Phong newspaper, organized a Cultural exhibition and painted a picture promoting “Independence or Die” for display in Hanoi.
• On the occasion of the one-year anniversary of the August Revolution and the National Day of September 2, 1946, he participated in the Organizing Committee of the August Fine Arts Exhibition displayed at the Hanoi Opera House, and had two lacquer works “buffalo herding” and “Rest in the harvest”. At the end of 1946, he joined the organization and taught at Vietnam College of Fine Arts.
• When peace was back, he returned to Hanoi and worked at the Vietnam College of Fine Arts and participated in activities at the Vietnam Arts Association and the Vietnam Fine Arts Association.
• He was the first Secretary General of the Vietnam Fine Arts Association (1957 – 1958), and a member of the Executive Committee of the Vietnam Union of Literature and Art (1957 – 1958). In 1983, at the 2nd National Congress of Vietnam Fine Arts Association, he continued to be elected to important positions.
• During his 55 years of work, he has made many contributions to the development of the Vietnam Fine Arts Association as well as the development of modern Vietnamese Fine Arts in all fields: composition, teaching and theory. essay. He passed away on January 19, 1992 in Hanoi.
Nguyen Van Ty’s Art Career
Nguyen Van Ty started composing early. Since taking the preparatory class at Indochina Fine Arts School, he has had oil and silk paintings such as “Landscapes of Pagodas and Towers”, “Portrait of a Sister” displayed in art shops. He has repeatedly attended exhibitions and won many awards. Before 1945, he specialized in silk paintings, oil paintings and woodcarvings. Later, he became an expert in lacquer paintings, and this material is mostly used in his most well-known pieces. The Ho Chi Minh Prize Council for Literature and Art stated that Nguyen Van Ty’s primary works are stunning lacquer paintings with warm and magnificent lacquer materials. The artist studied lacquer for a long time while harboring strong feelings for his native country.
During the resistance war against the French, despite his poverty, he continued to have many new works, including many sketches about farmers, about soldiers, about the Thai people, works with printed materials like “Chiến luỹ ngã tư sở”, ”Xe cứu thương”, “Cầu mới” (at the 1948 National Fine Arts Exhibition to celebrate the Vietnam Arts and Culture Congress)…
During his years of fine art activities in the North (1954 – 1975), he had many new works displayed at many major exhibitions: “Farmers tell miseries” – lacquer, “Harvesting in the Northwest”, Friendship – lacquer, …
Some of his works were selected to participate in the exhibition of 12 socialist countries in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe (1960). After that, Nguyen Van Ty continued to compose many other works such as: “Em bé đọc sách”, “Căm thù” – lacquer. He went on many field trips all over the country and Laos, participating in the Buon Ma Thuot campaign and the Ho Chi Minh campaign (March 1975). With sketches of the period of the resistance against the French and through his field trips, painter Nguyen Van Ty has composed many works of lacquer, silk, and etchings: Ripe rice season – silk, Guerrilla hats – woodcarving (Silver Medal at Leipzig International Graphics Exhibition 1965), Two armies met – lacquer (1968), Cua Tung Guerrilla, Vinh Moc Tunnels, Nhat Le Bank (1969), Going to the island (1971 ), Hanoi Christmas night 1972 (1973)…
After reunification, together with many painters throughout the country, he focused on composing many works based on sketches and memories of field trips from the anti-French resistance war to the anti-American resistance war. Artist Nguyen Van Ty uses powerful penmanship, accurate illustrations, abstract and liberal layouts, and experimental experiments to develop his own unique style in his paintings and graphic works. In addition, in celebration of the People’s Republic of China’s National Day in 1965, he also created a set of Huu Nghi Quan stamps.
Besides composing, he is also prolific critic and theorist of art, with several essays appearing in publications. He has written about 200 articles that have been published in textbooks or scientific papers. He taught and trained many generations of painters during the anti-French resistance war and during his time teaching at the Vietnam College of Fine Arts (1956-1970). He also prepared many textbooks for teaching, especially the book “The First Step to Draw” which is a valuable painting manual.
Nguyen Van Ty’s Artworks
• Ladies in a garden (in 6 parts), 1942
• Rapid of Cho Bo on the Black River, 1943
• Woman in the garden, 1939…
