Lacquer painting of Uncle Ho received Guinness World Record

The work Uncle Ho reading the Declaration of Independence received the Guinness World Record for 'largest continuous lacquer painting'.

The dream journey of artist Chu Nhat Quang and his brother-in-law, artist Nguyen Thanh Tung, reached its destination on the afternoon of October 11th during a ceremony to receive the Guinness World Record for their painting of President Ho Chi Minh reading the Declaration of Independence as the "Largest monolithic lacquer painting." The ceremony was jointly organized by the Central Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Department, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Ho Chi Minh Museum, and the artist's family.

Artist Chu Nhat Quang (wearing glasses) introduces his artwork.

PHOTO: THANH TUNG

Few could have imagined that the dream of creating a portrait of President Ho Chi Minh could take decades to complete and achieve Guinness World Record recognition. Artist Nguyen Thanh Tung shared that since childhood, while studying art at the Hanoi Children's Palace, he was always concerned about the occasional instances of people erecting scaffolding to repaint his portrait of President Ho Chi Minh holding a baby, as the paint faded due to rain and sun. "From then on, I promised myself that I would paint President Ho Chi Minh on a large scale, beautifully, and never have to repaint him," artist Thanh Tung confided.

That wish was later passed on by the artist to his brother-in-law, Chu Nhat Quang. Quang was born into a traditional artistic family; his father, Meritorious Artist Chu Luong, was famous for water puppetry, and his grandfather, People's Artist Chu Manh Chan, was renowned for lacquer painting. Artist Thanh Tung suggested that Chu Nhat Quang create a monolithic lacquer painting on the subject of President Ho Chi Minh. This idea was truly challenging. It required the artist to possess both the creativity of a creator and the dexterity of a craftsman, along with the technical calculations of an engineer.

Calculating for a Guinness

Artist Chu Nhat Quang shared: "When Mr. Tung suggested undertaking a large-scale lacquer painting project on a single panel, I was truly excited. Because most large-scale paintings before had to be assembled from many smaller panels. By working on a single panel, all the lines and artistic intentions will be more seamless, continuous, and complete."

Artist Chu Nhat Quang receives a record certificate.

PHOTO: THANH TUNG

To realize that dream, the two brothers had to "think like engineers." Together, they sought the secret to securely joining the wood to create the framework for the large-scale panels. They figured out how the multi-layered panels could naturally expand and contract, withstand climate changes, and maintain their flatness and color over time.

At the Guinness World Record announcement ceremony, Ms. Mai Thi Ngoc Oanh, Permanent Vice President of the Vietnam Fine Arts Association, said: "The world record for lacquer painting is a source of pride for Vietnamese fine arts." According to her, Chu Nhat Quang's work "not only recreates a sacred moment in history – the moment President Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence – but also demonstrates the connection between history, culture, and modern creativity."

Austin Johnson, the official examiner of Guinness World Records, stated: "This record was established based on precise measurements by independent experts, confirming the total area of ​​the painting to be 2.4m x 7.2m, and the results show that this is the largest lacquer painting ever created."

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/tranh-son-mai-ve-bac-ho-nhan-guinness-the-gioi-18525101119311994.htm