Archive, Documentaries
Letter from Nguyen Gia Trí to Claude Mahoudeau, Saigon, 18 October 1959 Nguyen Gia Tri
26/8 Côngly Noi dai, Saigon. October 18th 1959
My Dear Mahoudeau,
I'm sorry I wasn’t able to finish your lacquer painting in the begin- ning of the year as promised. Maybe you forgot about it, but for me as it is my job, I can’t let it out of my mind. Now that I have good hope to finish it and reach my goal, I can breathe a little easier. I am taking advantage of a quieter moment to write to you - it's been a long time since I wrote to you, it's a bad habit difficult to correct when you're a painter but you might not know. Please excuse me, dear friend. There is a problem in your painting which requires great patience to solve. In some parts the eggshell is embedded in a cinnabar-red back- ground. How to make it such that the last layer of red - (it takes at least three layers to reach the desired intensity and at the same time match the level already set by the eggshell) - cut into the edge of the eggshell or spread out naturally in the cracks of the spaces in between and this, without encroaching on the eggshell or revealing the layer underneath, which in this case would form a kind of border of a dif- ferent red all around each eggshell islet? Another difficulty: the egg- shell is inert while the lacquer shrinks as it dries. The final layer of lacquer must therefore wait until it dries as much as possible as you never know how many years it takes for the lacquer to dry completely. In the meantime it shrinks and the effects of this shrinkage can be seen against the eggshell. This is why I still think that this job is one of the most delicate. Because I was struggling with these difficulties, the painting took longer than expected. Now that I've reached a certain stage, I am starting to look for a way to send it to you safely. I haven't told you that I finished the official order I received on time and without a hitch. I even had an exhibition - very simply - in my studio. But it was uninteresting, like anything official. I had the chance to write from time to time to Mr. Inguimberty and to Mrs. Drouin. And you and Mrs. Mahoudeau, I hope you are well? Send her my regards. Ng. Tri ng I am cordially yours, Ng. Tri

Letter from Nguyen Gia Tri to Claude Mahoudeau, Saigon, 18 October 1959

Nguyen Gia Tri
26/8 Côngly Noi dai,
Saigon.

October 18th 1959

My Dear Mahoudeau,

I'm sorry I wasn’t able to finish your lacquer painting at the beginning of the year as promised. Maybe you forgot about it, but for me, as it is my job, I can’t let it out of my mind. Now that I have good hope to finish it and reach my goal, I can breathe a little easier. I am taking advantage of a quieter moment to write to you - it's been a long time since I wrote to you, it's a bad habit challenging to correct when you're a painter, but you might not know. Please excuse me, dear friend. There is a problem in your painting which requires great patience to solve. In some parts, the eggshell is embedded in a cinnabar-red background. How to make it such that the last layer of red - (it takes at least three layers to reach the desired intensity and at the same time match the level already set by the eggshell) - is cut into the edge of the eggshell or spread out naturally in the cracks of the spaces in between and this, without encroaching on the eggshell or revealing the layer underneath, which in this case would form a kind of border of a different red all around each eggshell islet? Another difficulty: the eggshell is inert while the lacquer shrinks as it dries.
The final layer of lacquer must therefore wait until it dries as much as possible as you never know how many years it takes for the lacquer to dry completely. In the meantime, it shrinks, and the effects of this shrinkage can be seen against the eggshell. This is why I still think this job is one of the most delicate.
Because I was struggling with these difficulties, the painting took longer than expected. Now that I've reached a certain stage, I am starting to look for a way to send it to you safely. I haven't told you I finished the official order I received on time without a hitch. I even had an exhibition - very simple - in my studio. But it was uninteresting, like anything official. I had the chance to write from time to time to Mr Inguimberty and Mrs Drouin. And you and Mrs Mahoudeau, I hope you are well? Send her my regards.
I am cordially yours, Ng. Tri