A vibrant splash of color greets you. That’s the Vietnam University of Fine Arts. Its walls seem to breathe with artistic energy.
The Vietnam University of Fine Arts isn’t just a school. It’s a living testament to Vietnamese art. Its history stretches back to 1925. It began as the Hanoi College of Fine Arts. This was during French colonial rule in Tonkin.
The university’s roots lie even deeper. It’s linked to the Ecole des Beaux Arts de l’Indochine. This school trained generations of Vietnamese artists. It also educated students from Cambodia and Laos. The Ecole combined Western and Eastern art traditions. It introduced Western oil painting to Vietnam. This significantly impacted modern Vietnamese art.
Imagine the Ecole’s classrooms. Students learned drawing. They mastered linear perspective. They painted outdoors. They worked with oil paints. The curriculum mirrored that of the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris. Many teachers were winners of the Prix de l’Indochine. This award encouraged French artists to teach in the colonies.
Victor Tardieu a French academic and painter was a key figure. He directed the Ecole until his death in 1937. His successor Evariste Jonchere a sculptor led the school until 1945. Notable alumni include Le Pho Vu Cao Dam and To Ngoc Van. Nguyen Phan Chan was the first to exhibit silk paintings in Paris in 1931. Nguyen Gia Tri was celebrated for his lacquer paintings.
The Japanese coup d’etat of 1945 forced the Ecole to close. The provisional government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam took over. During the intensifying struggle against the French in 1950 the college was moved. It relocated to Dai Tu Thai Nguyen in the Viet Bac Resistance Zone. To Ngoc Van led the school there.
In 1954 professors and students returned to Hanoi. A new Hanoi College of Fine Arts was established in 1957. Tran Van Can directed this new institution. Nguyen Do Cung a former student of the Ecole founded the Museum of Fine Arts in 1963.
In 1981 the Hanoi College of Fine Arts became the Hanoi University of Fine Art. Today it continues to shape Vietnam’s artistic landscape. Its students and alumni are some of Vietnam’s leading artists. The university fosters many cultural exchanges with international institutions.
Step inside. Feel the creative pulse of the Vietnam University of Fine Arts. Experience the rich legacy. Embrace the future of Vietnamese art.