15 - Ⓟ VAN GIAO (1916–1996)

Ⓟ VAN GIAO (1916–1996) "Young Woman in the Bamboo Grove" Pencil and watercolor on paper Signed and dated in the lower right corner Framed under glass 32 x 23 cm VAN GIAO (1916–1996) "Thiếu nữ trong rừng tre" Pencil and watercolor on paper Signed and dated in the lower right corner Framed, protected by glass 32 x 23 cm Born in 1916 in Hanoi, the son of a businessman and politician, Van Giao developed a passion for drawing at a very early age. Due to family difficulties, he was forced to leave school early and earned a living by designing furniture. In 1933, he enrolled in the preparatory class at the Indochina School of Fine Arts, where he underwent four years of rigorous training in drawing. Instilled with a political consciousness by his father from a very young age, he joined the French Socialist Party in Hanoi in 1938 and remained politically active throughout his life; this commitment was reflected in his works throughout his artistic career. Although expelled from the school because of his political activism, his talent was nonetheless noticed by Professor Georges Kahn, who encouraged him to continue on this path. Following this advice, Van Giao set out to teach himself the basics of painting. He then began participating in exhibitions organized by the SDEAI for the art community. In 1942, he held his first solo exhibition at his home. Later, he organized an exhibition in Xa-Tay, Saigon (now the headquarters of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee). After his exhibition in Saigon, Van Giao organized another one in Dalat—his first in that city—before returning to Hanoi. Together with Nguyen Do Cung, Pham Hau, Ho Van Thu, Pham Dang Tri, and Doang Phu Tu, he founded the Salon d’Automne, which was a resounding success. At the 1943 Salon Unique (SADEAI), Van Giao won a gold medal for one of his paintings, a landscape of central Vietnam. As a painter of Vietnamese rural life and people mobilized for combat, Van Giao was committed to accurately depicting the social reality of his time. He thus portrayed a Vietnam taking up arms to defend its country, becoming one of the leading figures among Vietnamese painters of the pre-revolutionary period. Although he also painted landscapes, his works depicting men and women are particularly striking, as evidenced by the piece before us. Born in 1916 in Hanoi, Van Giao was the son of a businessman and politician and showed an early passion for painting. Due to his family’s difficult circumstances, he was forced to drop out of school early and earn a living by drawing furniture designs. In 1933, he enrolled in a preparatory class at the Indochina School of Fine Arts, where he underwent four years of rigorous training in painting techniques. His political consciousness developed early under his father’s influence; in 1938, he joined the French Socialist Party in Hanoi and remained politically active throughout his life. This spirit is also reflected in his works across each creative phase. Although he was expelled from school due to his political activities, his talent was recognized by Professor Georges Kahn, who encouraged him to continue developing it. Following this advice, Văn Giao taught himself the fundamentals of painting. He then began participating in exhibitions organized by the SDEAI for the art community. In 1942, he held his first solo exhibition at his home. Later, he organized an exhibition at Xa-Tây in Saigon (now the headquarters of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee). Following the exhibition in Saigon, Văn Giao went on to organize another exhibition in Dalat—the first ever held in that city—before returning to Hanoi. Together with Nguyễn Đỗ Cung, Phạm Hậu, Hồ Văn Thu, Phạm Đăng Trí, and Đoàn Phú Tứ, he founded the Autumn Salon, an event that achieved resounding success. At the Salon Unique (SADEAI) in 1943, Văn Giao won a gold medal for a landscape painting depicting central Vietnam. As an artist who specialized in depicting rural Vietnamese life and people engaged in combat, Văn Giao was always passionate about faithfully reflecting the social realities of his time. He depicted a Vietnam taking up arms to defend the country, thereby becoming one of the leading figures in Vietnamese painting during the pre-revolutionary period.