TO NGOC VAN, 1942 "THE YOUNG WOMAN" OR THE CERTAINTY OF TRUTH

When To Ngoc Van painted this picture, he was 36 years old and had an accomplished social life: a graduate of the Hanoi School of Fine Arts, a multiple award-winning artist, a former Director of the Phnom Penh School of Fine Arts (1935-38) and then a professor at the Hanoi School of Fine Arts of Hanoi. That same year, in 1942, he created with Lé Van Dé, Tran Van Can, Luong Xuan Nhi, Nguyen Khang and Georges Khanh the FARTA (Foyer de l'Art Annamite), an autonomous place where artists could exhibit their works and debate ideas. To Ngoc Van was not one of the seven founding members (Nguyen Gia Tri was), but he actively participated in the periodicals Phong Hoà (Morals) and Ngay Nay (Today) -- both of which supported the group -- that advocated the modernization Vietnamese society, culture and literature. This implied "recognizing the role of women in society" as stated in point 6 of the "Ten precepts to ponder" of a movement that also fought against a Confucianism that they considered obsolete. The appropriation of Western concepts would allow for the regeneration of the Vietnamese nation and then later of its independence.

The present oil on canvas by To Ngoc Van is a testament to the homage-promotion of the Vietnamese woman: her modern ao dai, her tonkinese hairstyle, her make-up, the hands just sketched are already pictorial classics in 1942. Her posture, defying Confucian submission and the confidence that one reads in her eyes are innovative. The floral background dominated by a deep green dotted with pink, yellow and white touches vivifies the beautiful Hanoian.

Five years later, To Ngoc Van, the patriot, left Hanoi for the Viet Bac maquis. There, he exercised multiple responsibilities in the fight for independence. But the patriot did not erase the artist: in an article dated July 1st 1947, he opposed art and propaganda and (re)affirmed that the former had an eternal value, the latter a momentary interest. In 1949, in another article ("Should we or should we not study?") he will deny to the masses the faculty to criticize the artists because they do not have the necessary qualification, for lack of study(s)... Nguyen Dinh Thi (1924-2003) will counter him in a great debate (September 25-28, 1949) in the Viet Bac.

Later, in 1953, To Ngoc Van was sent for re-education in the village of Ninh Dhan near Phu To.

To Ngoc Van produced few works (except for numerous drawings) and this one is exceptional. Bought directly from the artist by Léon Lipschutz, authorised representative of the Banque Franco-Chinoise in Hanoi, this painting was brought back to France in 1946. It kept its original 1940's frame, such as the small portrait, very Inguimbertian, the artist made of the Eurasian teenager of the family (lot 319).

An exceptional artist, skilled in all techniques as evidenced by "Les désenchantées" on silk from the Tuan Pham collection, To Ngoc Van was a great humanist, one of which who seek the certainty of truth, against the violence of thought.

Jean-François Hubert,
Senior Expert, Vietnamese Art