Had studied in lacquer at Fine Arts School of Thủ Dầu Một — the first art school in Indochina during the French colonial period, established in 1901 — basically, Trương Văn Thanh’s concepts and skills belong to the style of classical laque unie, which means only use the traditional materials, or traditional materials in new form, transform them into rich, exotic colors, qualities just using paint of shiny brown, black, vermillion, gold, silver, eggshell different form laque claire style that recently appeared since the early of 1940s.
Although don’t know much about Trương Văn Thanh’s works, with only this painting we’re seeing here, it can be said that he was a master. He created figures in a very simple way, didn’t pay much attention to details, especially with architectures. Scenery of the painting kept appearing hidden in the evening light, with the layers of thick, soft paint, full of ‘soil and wood’ quality and russet brown, light with dark, dark with light, creating an unreal atmosphere as if condensed in a precious and clear amber block.
What the painting brings to viewers, is perhaps a contemplation. If speaking in the spirit of Zen, that can be considered full, when people no longer bother thinking about the past, nor bother thinking about the future; they’re just turning inside themselves, in a moment of ‘silence’, tranquillity — in front of Buddha’s door.
