Footsteps in the Gallery: Reading Painting with the Heart

Footsteps in the Exhibition Room by Truong Thi An Na writes about world famous painters and their works; analyzes and shares in a clear, sincere and profound voice.

1. “What I wrote in there is purely my own feelings about what I saw and absorbed after each time I went to see an art exhibition, completely not based on any theoretical basis, nor focusing on the knowledge of painting…”. Doctor of Language Truong Thi An Na confided this in the Preface to the work Footsteps in the Exhibition Room (Women's Publishing House, 2025).

The book is more than 500 pages thick, with articles and paintings by famous artists, separate chapters about world-famous names, from Leonardo da Vinci of the Renaissance to modern and contemporary artists such as Claude Monet, Paul Gauguin, Van Gogh, Joan Miró, Salvador Dali, Pablo Picasso... Truong Thi An Na writes about them and their works, analyzes, interprets, and shares in a clear voice, sometimes passionate, sometimes gentle, sincere and profound.

As when mentioning the paintings of Claude Monet (famous French painter, 1840-1926), Truong Thi An Na takes readers to places in France where the famous painter set foot and left his mark with masterpieces, feelings about the paintings and memories with relatives through the famous painter's paintings.

The author also mentioned the light effect in Claude Monet's paintings: "The painter divided the colors discreetly, he experimented with gray shadows. The sunlight seemed to pierce the reddish brown and pale purple of the house walls, chimneys and sky, while blue-gray was used for the roof... The light of the painting comes from the sun, although the viewer only feels that sunlight through the fog and clouds... Monet uses the white of the snow as a mirror to reflect the light".

Book cover Footsteps in the Exhibition Room

During her visits to world-famous galleries, Truong Thi An Na also “set foot” in her dream homes when viewing the paintings of Pierre Bonnard (famous French painter, 1867-1947), by the poetic and peaceful Seine River. “Looking at Bonnard’s paintings, we seem to hear the rustling of leaves, the chirping of birds, the fragrance of flowers, the sweetness of juicy oranges or relax with the caress of the wind blowing into the bedroom on our skin”…

2. With her knowledge and aesthetic awareness, her own experience over more than 30 years traveling across Europe, along with her keen observation skills, deep emotions, especially associations with painful times for humanity such as the Covid-19 pandemic, Truong Thi An Na brings readers knowledge and shares current emotions through her paintings.

When looking at the painting Matin au Cap Cod (Morning on Cap Cod) by Edward Hopper (1882-1967), the woman's posture and gaze from the balcony are almost motionless, as if life has stopped. Meanwhile, the painting Soleil du matin (Morning Sun) depicts a middle-aged woman sitting quietly on her bed, her face full of contemplation and thought.

“He probably could not have imagined that nearly 60 years after his death, his works and concerns would be relevant to people of the present era, especially during the period of social distancing due to the pandemic,” wrote author Truong Thi An Na.

Truong Thi An Na's strength is to see the depth behind the paintings and the lives of famous artists, from which she can draw meaningful lessons. Henri Fantin - Latour (1836-1904), a French master of still life, especially flowers, with extremely delicate strokes, realistic to every detail, surprisingly perfect, and incredibly accurate in color. Overcoming the slander and opposition of conservatives, he was not discouraged and succeeded.

Truong Thi An Na concluded: “Work according to your passion and go all the way with that passion no matter how difficult or hindering you are. That is also the message that Fantin - Latour wants to send to those who are still feeling uncertain and have not found their way.”

Through works that have a vitality that transcends time, Truong Thi An Na has once again proven that painting is perhaps the only thing that can “point out what cannot be pointed out besides language and action”. For the author, painting always creates its own vibrations that nothing can replace: “I hope that there is someone like me who has memories and deep feelings for some paintings by some artists, so that we can see this book as a way for us to reminisce together, to go to the end of our emotions together”…

NGUYEN HOANG HOA

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/nhung-buoc-chan-trong-phong-trien-lam-doc-hoi-hoa-bang-trai-tim-post812490.html