Trần Huy Oánh (born 1937). Spring still life. 2020. Oil. 80×60 cm.
1. From “Apples” by French painter – Paul Cezanne (1839-1906)…
Exactly 10 years ago (in 2013), at Sotheby’s New York, still life painting “Apples”, (1889-1990, oil, 38.5×46 cm) by Paul Cézanne sold for nearly 42 million USD. Each apple in the painting is worth many millions of dollars. Just apples, why are they so expensive? Because, he changed the world view about studying stroke structures in space through painting apples rather than interpreting light like the Impressionists of the time.
Paul Cézanne. Apples. 1889-1890. Oil. 38.5×46 cm. Source: Sotheby’s.
It is estimated that Cézanne painted more apples than the apples he could eat in his lifetime. Looking at Cézanne’s apples, “it feels like he wanted the viewer to smell it the fields that he painted in Provence, feeling the space and the deep atmosphere of the mountain scene he represented, as well as wanting the viewer to grab the apples and eat them.”
‘Apples’ of Paul Cézanne auctioned at Sotheby’s New York, 2015; Source: nytimes.com
It is estimated that Cézanne painted more apples than the apples he could eat in his lifetime. Looking at Cézanne’s apples, “it feels like he wanted the viewer to smell it the fields that he painted in Provence, feeling the space and the deep atmosphere of the mountain scene he represented, as well as wanting the viewer to grab the apples and eat them.”
2. Difficult childhood
Painter Trần Huy Oánh was born in 1937, in Nam Định. His father passed away when he was only 3 years old. Therefore, his difficult childhood was associated with his mother’s hardships and changes in the revolutionary history of the nation. When he was young, he worked hard, taught himself to paint before studying at Hanoi University of Fine Arts in 1963.
Painter Huy Oánh (center, top row) and other students of Fine Arts University
In the process of setting up a career and studying hard, he absorbed and understood the value of life. Therefore, he paint a lot about social life, about the resistance war against French and American because his emotion, affection for these subjects are great. He said: “My experience is not only flowers, not only sadness; there are many happy and optimistic times in the process of our nation’s development and ascent.”
3. Whatever you paint, you paint the essence of life
In the world of fine arts and art lovers, painter Huy Oánh is considered an exemplary artist of academic painting. He believes that any theme is noble. The still-life theme does not mean “the fruit of everyday life”. It is life itself. Because when painting, the artist is portraying the essence of life. After the labor process, it becomes the character, the mood and the soul, the artist in it.
So, what do we see in his “Spring still life”?
Simply a still life, but it fully expresses the basic style, classic, refined sophistication is “resolved” to a high level by a masterful technique. The solidity, balance, not redundant, not lacking from the combination of strokes, shapes, colors, light… academic style such as “textbook” has created “balance, stability”, lead the viewer’s visual movement in a peaceful state of mind. This feeling is formed from isosceles triangles; horizontal, straight lines… are interwoven throughout the surface of the painting from visual conventions.
Trần Huy Oánh (born 1937). Spring still life. 2020. Oil. 80×60 cm.
The connections of the beginning and ending points are very balanced and solid. Perhaps when he painted, he did not think about these shapes. The viewer’s eye will see the colors run from one point to the other; round shapes, tubes, triangles, squares, rectangles… it seems random but in fact, it is not certain that the image in the work reflects the real still life… But was painted by him with the “feeling” of an “academic master”. Shapes, strokes, or light, colors will be measured by his “consciousness”, to count, to set, to standardize, harmonize…
4. In “Spring still life”, what to see?
What does the spring still life here, simple with flowers, fruits and objects create for the viewer? When looking for a long time, if you look closely, you will feel a sense of balance, peace, and relaxation. Solid lines and shapes, harmonious colors, open composition, tend to rise. Feel the energy of good mood, positivity, joy, viral happiness…
Photo taken at painter Huy Oánh’s home, March 2023
Why “Spring still life” achieves such balance. It is because of the exemplary character of a teacher; a painter; a talent that undergoes rigorous study and training; over the years has become a creative instinct. He painted with “feeling’, with “consciousness”. Human, things, scenes in the work are just the “excuse” to express the “inner” of Huy Oánh at that time… He shared: “Success or not is the same. The passion, the determination, the love of life, the love of the job, the love of living actively contribute to being and recreating the values of life…”
So, the beauty and depth of “Spring still life” is not only in what is shown on the surface of the painting by lines and colors; with the skillful and delicate style of a master of painting, but also in his steadfast spirit, feeling of balance, peace, full of energy for fresh aspirations…
