“AT THE PAGODA” – VŨ CAO ĐÀM (1908-2000)

Vũ Cao Đàm studied in the second class (1926-1931) of Indochina Fine Arts College. He went to France to study in 1931, then chose France as his place to live and work. In the early 1950s, he was fortunate to meet and befriend two famous painters, Matisse and Marc Chagall. From here, Vũ Cao Đàm’s painting style entered a new phase, bearing the colors of Impressionism. Apart from a few landscape paintings of the Vence region, where Vũ Cao Đàm lived, he devoted all his time, mind and emotions to his works about his homeland. He especially liked ancient stories such as Kiều and Chinh Phụ Ngâm. Images of the Thúy Kiều sisters; Kim Trọng; young women; women and children; horses and warriors; and chickens appear in most of his works. The characters appear in an architectural setting that blends the styles of his hometown and his place of residence in a dreamy subconscious between the past and the present. The work “At the pagoda” shows the influence of Impressionist painting with characters that are very Vietnamese. Perhaps he was inspired by the image of Kim Trọng and Thúy Kiều. The elegant white color of the girl’s outfit in the background seems to be very suitable for the story in the painting. The character in the foreground seems to be meditating with a wine gourd held in both hands. The space around this character is quiet, a calm atmosphere emanating from it covers the painting.

VŨ CAO ĐÀM (1908-2000)
“At the pagoda”, 1964
Oil on canvas
Signed and dated in the lower left corner
66 × 55 cm