Ho Chi Minh City sees remarkable homecoming of exceptional artworks

Their contributions represent not only a heartfelt journey to repatriate Vietnamese artistic heritage but also a powerful bridge connecting the world of Vietnamese art at home and abroad.

Bridging heritage—A journey of passion and faith

The Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts has recently received a donation of 43 paintings from the collection titled "From Indochine Fine Arts to Gia Dinh Fine Arts (1925–1975)," generously gifted by Mr. and Mrs. Le Tat Luyen–Thuy Khue. This marks their third consecutive donation in less than a decade, following previous contributions in 2018 and 2023. The collection represents a significant chapter in the repatriation of Vietnamese art from France, enriching the nation's artistic heritage and reaffirming a vital cultural link to its historical roots.

The collection titled "From Indochine Fine Arts to Gia Dinh Fine Arts (1925–1975)" comprises 43 significant works that vividly capture the evolution of Vietnamese painting in the 20th century. This period marked the emergence and development of two major art education institutions: the École des Beaux-Arts de l’Indochine (the former Indochina School of Fine Arts) in Hanoi and the Gia Dinh School of Fine Arts (now known as Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts University).

The collection brings together works by renowned figures in Vietnamese art, including Le Pho, Vu Cao Dam, Thai Tuan, Pham Dinh Tin, Van Den, Bui Xuan Phai, Ta Ty, Tran Phuc Duyen, Pham Tang, Vo Dinh, Trinh Cung, Dinh Cuong, Nguyen Trung, Do Quang Em, and Buu Chi, among others.

Among the highlights are four standout pieces, including an oil painting on canvas titled “Thien Thai” by Pham Tang, a silk painting titled “Northern Woman with Hair in a Chignon” by Vu Cao Dam, an oil painting on canvas titled “Tuong doi” (Drama of life) by Bui Xuan Phai, and a watercolor painting titled “Surrealist Portrait of Poet Bui Giang” by Dinh Cuong.

The collection showcases a rich diversity of media and artistic styles, reflecting the cultural depth, historical resonance, and evolving aesthetics of Vietnamese painting throughout the first half and mid-20th century.

According to Associate Professor Dr. Lam Nhan, Rector of the Ho Chi Minh City University of Culture, and representatives of the family of Mr. and Mrs. Le Tat Luyen–Thuy Khue, initially, the donation list included 34 works. However, during the final preparations, Mr. and Mrs. Le Tat Luyen–Thuy Khue accidentally found six more paintings by artist Le Ba Dang, unique pieces centered on the theme of war. With this, the family's remaining collection has now been fully entrusted to the Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts.

Evoking a space of memory

This latest acquisition enriches the collection of the Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts and reaffirms the enduring bond between Vietnamese artistic heritage abroad and at home.

Among the standout works is “Chua Thay” (Thay Pagoda), a lacquered triptych measuring 180 x 80 cm by Tran Phuc Duyen, a master of lacquer art and an alumnus of the École des Beaux-Arts de l’Indochine. Deeply rooted in Vietnamese tradition, the piece incorporates Western techniques, elevating lacquer from a purely decorative craft to a true medium of fine art. Tran Phuc Duyen has persistently researched and combined the Eastern spirit from Zen painting and ink painting with modern Western materials and techniques.

Also returning in this collection is a silk painting titled “Northern Woman with Hair in a Chignon” by Vu Cao Dam. In this delicate work, the artist masterfully evokes the timeless spirit of the East through the lens of Renaissance aesthetics, creating depth on silk through a refined use of light and shadow. Vu Cao Dam remains the only Vietnamese artist known to have reimagined Renaissance techniques for silk painting, liberating the medium from the flat, uniform treatment seen in traditional Chinese styles.

On the canvas, the Northern woman’s features are rendered with exquisite sensitivity: a slender, elegant nose; mysterious, almond-shaped monolid eyes; and smooth, jet-black hair coiled gracefully in a traditional bun. The portrait radiates a serene purity and quiet nobility, an embodiment of the Vietnamese soul.

The return of these artworks not only enriches Vietnam’s national treasury of fine arts but also serves as a reminder of our collective responsibility to preserve and cherish cultural heritage. Each painting stands as a bridge connecting the homeland and the Vietnamese community across five continents, between tradition and modernity, and between memory and reality.

Through these works, the public is offered more than visual appreciation; they are invited to touch the spirit, dedication, and enduring love for Vietnam carried by those who have entrusted their faith and memories to the language of art.

In a letter to the Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts, Mr. and Mrs. Le Tat Luyen–Thuy Khue wrote that in 2018, after donating the Le Thi Luu collection, which included 26 works by the artist herself and one by Ngo The Tan, they were deeply impressed by the museum’s care in preservation and exhibition.

In 2023, the donation of the Le Ba Dang collection, comprising 236 works, further strengthened that trust. Following their visit to Vietnam in November 2024, the couple was deeply moved by the museum team’s outstanding efforts, particularly the completion of a modern exhibition space and the publication of Le Ba Dang: The Man and His Art, compiled by Thuy Khue, in full accordance with the artist’s wishes. Therefore, they continue to give away the new collection.