Nguyen Gia Tri (1908 - 1993) was born in Chuong My District, Hanoi . He graduated from the Indochina College of Fine Arts in 1936 and is considered one of the masters of Vietnamese painting. His artworks are renowned for their refined materials, high quality, and depictions of the natural beauty and landscapes of Vietnam.
Art researcher Ngo Kim Khoi stands beside the artwork "Battle of Bach Dang River".
The work has an exquisite and complex composition.
The Bonhams auction house website states: "Bonhams Cornette de Saint Cyr is delighted to offer the painting 'Battle of Bach Dang River' in the online auction La Modernité Vietnamienne. The painting is believed to be by the renowned Vietnamese artist Nguyen Gia Tri after careful research before sale."
The Battle of Bạch Đằng in 1288 was a crucial naval battle between Đại Việt (modern-day Vietnam) and the Yuan Dynasty (Mongol Empire). The battle is a testament to the outstanding military leadership of Trần Hưng Đạo and remains a source of national pride, inspiring numerous artistic creations in later generations. The composition and motifs in this painting are consistent with historical records, confirming the reenactment of the famous naval battle on the Bạch Đằng River in the 13th century. It demonstrates the artist's mastery in creating large-scale scenes and their profound understanding of national history.
According to art researcher Ngo Kim Khoi: "The back of the painting reads XXVIII. Biennale Internazionale d'Arte di Venezia - 1956 - 181 , authenticated by La Biennale di Venezia - the organization responsible for the annual Venice Biennale exhibition held in Venice, Italy. The presence of this information on the back confirms that the painting was once sent to Venice. In those years, not all artworks submitted to the exhibition were selected. If not selected, they had to be returned to the country of origin. This may explain why the painting was later found in the Embassy of the Republic of Vietnam in Rome."
The back of the painting "Battle of Bach Dang River"
According to Mr. Khoi (who was invited by Bonhams to Paris to appraise the painting before the auction), the traces of brown lacquer on three edges of the back suggest that a part of the painting may have been cut off, raising questions about the original condition of the work when it was brought to Venice. Furthermore, the painting lacks the artist's original signature; could this have been cut off?
Why do paintings whose authorship is uncertain still sell for high prices?
After April 30, 1975, a private European collector purchased this painting, which was then acquired by its current owner in the 2000s. A card accompanying the painting is captioned " The Battle of Bach Dang River in the 13th Century ," a lacquer painting by Nguyen Gia Tri, a Vietnamese artist.
Lacquer painting of the Battle of Bach Dang River
The book "Hanoi Painting - Remaining Memories" by art critic Nguyen Hai Yen records the account of painter Bui Quang Ngoc: during a visit to the wife of renowned painter Nguyen Gia Tri in February 1999, she revealed that in 1956-1957, the Saigon government had invited Nguyen Gia Tri to create a series of historical lacquer paintings, spanning from ancient times to the present, including the painting "The Battle of Bach Dang ". However, was the painting she referred to the one that was recently auctioned?
Regarding why paintings by the renowned artist Nguyen Gia Tri are still being bought at high prices even though their authenticity is uncertain, researcher Ngo Kim Khoi commented: "All paintings, when accompanied by history and stories, whether 'attributed' to a particular artist or not, always increase in value compared to paintings with vague information. Even though the painting ' Battle of Bach Dang River' lacks Nguyen Gia Tri's signature, through techniques, technology, and expert assessment, its authenticity and credibility can be partially verified."
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/tran-chien-song-bach-dang-duoc-cho-cua-danh-hoa-nguyen-gia-tri-ban-voi-gia-13-ti-dong-185241214202717005.htm
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