Ngay hoi (Festivals), 1960s

Ngay hoi (Festivals), 1960s woodcut on silk and color highlights
Artist’s stamp upper left

49.5 x 116.5 cm (19 1/2 x 45 7/8 in.) (as seen)

Wood blocks on silk and heightened with colors

Provenance
Acquired by the current owner from the artist in Saigon

Tu Duyen (1915-2012 )
Born in the Vietnamese province of Bac Ninh in 1915. Tú Duyên began his artistic career in the studio of Nam Son ( Nguyen Nam Son, 1890- 1973). He then studied at the Indochina School of Fine Arts between 1935 and 1938. When northern Vietnam came under Japanese control, he moved south to Saigon in 1942, where he began experimenting with woodcutting, using the traditional printmaking techniques of the Dong Ho village.
He created a new technique called “hand-stamped printing”, using only “positive” and “negative” wooden boards on which he applied colors with his fingers, then pressed or rubbed his hand to apply the image to silk or paper.
He paints not only Vietnamese women, but also historical figures, inspired by ancient works.