What is special about the oil painting "The Folk Singer"?

The oil painting "Folk Singer" by artist Nguyen Phan Chanh has just been sold for 1,020,000 EUR (over 27 billion VND), placing it in the Top 20 most expensive Vietnamese paintings of all time.

The oil painting "Les Chanteuses de Campagne" (The Folk Singers). (Source: Sotheby's)

At Sotheby's Paris auction, the oil painting Les Chanteuses de Campagne (The Folk Singers) by artist Nguyen Phan Chanh was sold for 1,020,000 EUR (over 27 billion VND). Thus, "The Folk Singers" has entered the Top 20 most expensive Vietnamese paintings of all time, ranking 15th, alongside works by Le Pho, Mai Trung Thu, Le Quoc Loc, Pham Hau, To Ngoc Van, and Vu Cao Dam.

This is Nguyen Phan Chanh's second work to reach the million-dollar mark, following his silk painting Les Couturières (The Seamstresses), which sold for $1,390,000 at Christie's in December 2020.

The oil painting "Folk Singers" depicts two rural women wearing conical hats, holding fans, dressed in brown blouses and silk trousers, and barefoot in a rustic setting, surrounded by predominantly earthy tones.

This composition reflects artist Phan Chánh's focus on authentic beauty rather than aesthetic novelty. The work offers viewers a profound insight into everyday life in Vietnam at the beginning of the 20th century.

The work was previously known only through archival records and exhibitions in Hanoi (1930) and Paris (1931). Later, a couple in France acquired the collection, passing it down through generations. Recently, the painting was discovered at the home of one of their grandchildren in rural France.

Art researcher Ngo Kim Khoi assessed the auction results as he had initially predicted because the artwork had a clear origin. One of the noteworthy details of the painting is the aspect of its materials.

"People are still familiar with Nguyen Phan Chanh's silk paintings, but this is an oil painting, and the style remains the same: large, straightforward blocks of color with very few details, as is often seen in his silk paintings," Mr. Khoi added.

Meanwhile, curator Ace Le, Sotheby's Vietnam market director, assessed the work as the most important painting by Nguyen Phan Chanh ever released to the market. The painting was completed in 1930 – the peak period of the renowned artist's career.

Initially, the painting was only known through archival records and some exhibitions in Hanoi in 1930 and Paris in 1931. Later, a doctor couple in France bought the collection and passed it down through generations. Recently, the painting was discovered at the home of one of their grandchildren in rural France. Ace Lê hopes that this masterpiece will be repatriated to its homeland after nearly a century abroad.

Nguyen Phan Chanh was born in 1892 in Ha Tinh province . He was a prominent painter of Indochinese art and a pioneer of Vietnamese silk painting. The renowned artist began painting at the age of 33 when he became a student in the first class of the Indochina School of Fine Arts. In 1929, his works were exhibited at the Colonial Art Salon (Salon de l'art colonial) in Paris, marking a significant milestone in his career.

Deeply inspired by his childhood rural life, Nguyen Phan Chanh always maintained a close connection with the countryside by depicting familiar scenes from an intimate perspective, earning him praise as a chronicler of traditional life.

Nguyen Phan Chanh left behind over 170 works. He holds the record for the most paintings displayed at the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum. Some of his other famous paintings include: Washing Vegetables by the Pond, Child Feeding Birds, Playing O An Quan (a traditional Vietnamese board game), and A Bowl of Water for Relaxation…

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/buc-tranh-son-dau-nguoi-hat-dan-ca-co-gi-dac-biet-275093.html