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The portrait of patriarch Nguyen Thieu is solemnly placed in the ancestral hall at Quoc An Pagoda |
In the heart of this sacred space, the portrait of patriarch Nguyen Thieu, painted by Hong Cao in 1931, stands out. It is not merely a painting for worship, but an artifact of great documentary value, providing insight into Hue painting during the transitional period of the early 20th century.
Of historical and artistic value
The well-proportioned portrait was painted with gouache on paper in the traditional portraiture style. The patriarch is depicted seated in the lotus position, wearing a robe and holding a ceremonial whisk. His face shows serenity, compassion, and solemn dignity. Especially striking are his eyes, which were painted with great subtlety, showing the inner emotional depth and strong expressive power. Decorative details on the robe were meticulously painted, combining the stylization of traditional art and realistic representation, proving the shift in perception of art at the time.
It is that blend of tradition and realism that makes the painting valuable. Viewers can recognize the character of Oriental traditional portrait techniques while sensing a degree of Western influence, particularly in the treatment of shape and lighting.
An especially important feature that enhances the value of the painting is the clear-cut inscription in Chinese characters, recording the date, the name of the painter, and his praising words dedicated to the patriarch.
A painter raised in a royal family and his little-known life
After cross-referencing the inscription with other available documents, we had a better understanding of the identity of Hong Cao. Obviously, his name abides by the typical naming system of the Nguyen Dynasty and in relation with the lineage of Tung Thien Vuong Mien Tham, a distinguished literary figure in Hue.
In a field trip aimed to further clarify his identity, we visited Tung Thien Vuong Royal Residence by the An Cuu river. There we accessed the family tree provided to us by Buu To. The document contains information about Hong Cao and his position in the royal lineage.
According to the family records, Hong Cao (or Si Chanh as his courtesy name) was born in 1867 in Hue and was the nineteenth son of Tung Thien Vuong. He grew up in a royal family with a tradition of letters and ceremonial music, where education and moral cultivation were highly valued. He thus received a formal Confucian education from noted contemporary scholars and statesmen such as Nguyen Trong Hop, Pham Phu Thu, Le Huy Mien, etc. But instead of pursuing statesmanship, Hong Cao showed a gift for painting from an early age, and finally chose art for his career.
Another important contribution of Hong Cao was his collaboration with the journal Bulletin des Amis du Vieux Hue (BAVH), founded by Léopold Cadière. During that time, Hong Cao created numerous valuable documentary drawings and illustrations, significantly contributing to preserving the Hue heritage. These drawings have now become valuable resources for historical researchers. Hong Cao passed away on December 30, 1947, at the age of 80. He was buried in the garden of Princess Quy Đuc’s ancestral house.
His legacy and gaps which need clarifying
Just a limited number of Hong Cao’s works survive today, most of which are portrait paintings for worship. Besides the portrait of patriarch Nguyen Thieu at Quoc An Pagoda, several other artworks by Hong Cao are still preserved in Hue, including the portrait of Tung Thien Vuong Mien Tham at Tung Thien Vuong Royal Residence, the portrait of Phu Binh Huyen Cong Huong Vinh and his wife at Thien Minh Pagoda, and the portrait of Quang Loc Tu Khanh Ton That Tu and his wife at the Song Tung garden house. Though very few paintings remain, we are still able to figure out his distinctive style.
In the context of Vietnamese art at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century, _the period of profound transformation_ the emergence of artists like Hong Cao was meaningful. They not only continued traditional painting but also opened up new directions and formed foundation for Vietnamese modern art. However, due to historical upheavals, Hong Cao’s life and career have not been fully studied. Many of his works are lost and documents about him scatters. This requires an urgent need for collecting, researching and systematizing source materials.
Studying about Hong Cao is not only to understand the artist as an individual, but also contributes to learning more about Hue art in the transitional time. Through this, we gain insight into the development and transformation of Vietnamese art amid a changing historical context.
In the mainstream of Vietnamese culture, artworks such as the portrait of patriarch Nguyen Thieu are not just “relics of the past,” but also the bridge that helps people of today understand traditional values.