THREE OIL PAINTINGS DEPICTING THE CAPITAL’S ARMY AND PEOPLE DURING THE DAYS OF NATIONAL RESISTENCE
At the exhibition of collected and donated artifacts in the years 2015-2016, three oil paintings: "We must return to liberate the capital", "The brave death soldier", and "Hanoi in the winter 1946", by artist Phung Dzi Thuan make a great visual impression on visitors. These paintings contribute to vividly recreating the history of the Capital in the indomitable struggle against the French colonialists recapturing the Capital in late 1946 and early 1947.
On the night of December 19th, 1946, under the leadership of the Party, headed by President Ho Chi Minh, Hanoi army and people opened fire to "Start the national resistance". With the spirit of “Determined to Brave Death for the Survival of the Fatherland”, the army and people of the Capital held the enemy in the city for 60 days and nights, consumed a lot of their force, smashed the French colonialists' plots, protected the safety of the Party Central Committee and the Government, and created conditions for the whole country to prepare in all aspects and confidently enter the long-term resistance. The three oil paintings “We must return to liberate the capital", "The brave death soldier", and "Hanoi in the winter 1946", by artist Phung Dzi Thuan in the exhibition of collected and donated artifacts in the years 2015-2016 at Hanoi Museum are an epic to tellabout the war of the Capital army and people in the early days of the nine years of resistance.
The painting "The brave death soldier" depicts a soldier hugging a lunge mine to attack an enemy’s tank. The artist depicts the soldier's face darkened by fireballs, but his expression still shows determination to win. His image is even more beautiful when it is embellished on the red-gold background of fire. The painting is an artwork created by artist Phung DziThuan in 2015 inspired by memories from the context of Hanoi in the early days of the national resistance in 1946 of "Determination of death for the Fatherland to live". Artist Phung Dzi Thuan said: "The image of the capital's soldiers using lunge mine to attack French tank is an expression of courage and determination to defeat the French invaders has been recorded in the history books, becoming an example, a symbol of pride and motivation for the young generation to follow, andmy inspiration."
The painting "The brave death soldier"
The painting "Hanoi in the winter 1946" was inspired by artist Phung Dzi Thuan from the memory of Hanoi in the early days of the national resistance in 1946. The painting depicts Hanoian army and people taking up arms to run through the battle lines to defend the Capital. During the resistance period, the capital's army and people used many flexible combat methods, in which breaking walls to connect houses in Hanoi's inner city (inter-family road) to avoid fire is a very creative option. The work depicts the brave fighting spirit for 60 days and nights of smoke and fire. Then, we not only held back the enemy but also organized a miraculous withdrawal from the inner city of Hanoi to preserve the forces of the Capital Regiment. "In this work, I have sketched the fighting atmosphere of many classes of the Capital army and people led by the commander holding a gun in a onehand and raising another hand to lead the way, followed by the typical members of that period as early intellectual men in hats, holding guns in their hands, and young soldiers holding guns carried the posture of the boys who had just gone to the first battle. With the tenacious and brave spirit of the capital's army and people, for 60 days and nights of smoke and fire, we not only held back the enemy but also organized a miraculous withdrawal across Long Bien bridge to preserve the forces of the Capital Regiment" - artist Phung Dzi Thuan said.
The painting "Hanoi in the winter 1946"
The painting "We must return to liberate the capital" represents the end of 60 days and nights of fighting when the Hanoi army and people completed their historic mission of making a miraculous retreat. The painting was created by artist Phung Dzi Thuan in 2015, inspired by the last few days of the 60-day resistance against the French. Visitors will clearly feel the images sketched by the artist, in which, each regiment of troops retreated from the Capital with many different gestures and moods: an image of the young soldier not wanting to leave the Capital walking beside an old commander who was comforting. The image of a soldier raising his hand in greeting, his eyes turned to the capital as a greeting promising the day of his return. This was his first painting, the one he devoted himself to.
The painting "We must return to liberate the capital"
These paintings have been composed by artist Phung Dzi Thuan for a long time. Responding to the campaign to donate documents and artifacts to Hanoi Museum, the artist donated to Hanoi Museum with the desire to help future generations better understand the heroic history of the Capital.
Nguyen Thi Hue
