The model for the painting "Em Thúy" has passed away.

According to information from her family, Ms. Nguyen Minh Thuy - the model for the painting "Em Thuy" - passed away at 6:50 PM on July 9th, at the age of 90.

Ms. Minh Thúy was born in 1935 and is the granddaughter of painter Trần Văn Cẩn (1910-1994), one of the four renowned painters Trí - Vân - Lân - Cẩn (Nguyễn Gia Trí, Tô Ngọc Vân, Nguyễn Tường Lân, Trần Văn Cẩn).

Ms. Minh Thúy, the model for the painting "Em Thúy" by renowned artist Trần Văn Cẩn. Photo: TP.

Ms. Thuy once recounted that one day in 1943, seeing his granddaughter wearing a light pink Ha Dong silk dress, the painter Tran Van Can asked his granddaughter to sit on a chair as a model for him to paint. At that time, Nguyen Minh Thuy was 8 years old and attending the École Brieux girls' primary school in Hang Cot.

The oil painting "Little Thuy" (60cm x 45cm) depicts a little girl with short hair and an innocent face, sitting demurely on a wicker chair, her face turned forward with wide, round eyes.

The painting is considered one of the finest works by artist Tran Van Can, and also one of the representative works of portrait painting in Vietnam in the 20th century.

The work was first exhibited at the FARTA (Annam Art Association) exhibition in Hanoi in 1943. The painting "Em Thúy" later helped the renowned painter Trần Văn Cẩn win first prize at the exhibition of the Association for the Advancement of Knowledge (AFIMA), along with the work "Washing Hair."

Later, due to the war, the family evacuated, and the artwork was lost. In 1964, the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum bought the painting from the family of photographer Do Huan for 300 dong. At that time, the salary of a newly graduated civil servant was only 64 dong a month.

Besides the portrait "Em Thúy," artist Trần Văn Cẩn also has another painting of his niece Minh Thúy at the age of 24 (1959).

The painting "Em Thúy" has been recognized as a National Treasure. Photo: BTMT

The painting "Em Thúy" was recognized as a National Treasure in 2013 and is displayed in Room 10, oil painting section, Vietnam Fine Arts Museum.

Reportedly, Ms. Minh Thúy is the eldest of four sisters in a family of civil servants living at 23 Hang Cot Street, Hanoi. She was raised in a well-disciplined environment. She taught home economics at the Hanoi College of Education until her retirement. In her old age, she lives with her eldest son, Dao Anh Tuan, in Thanh Xuan, Hanoi.

T. Toan

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/nguyen-mau-cua-buc-tranh-em-thuy-qua-doi-post302946.html