TU DUYEN (1915 2012 )Quatre saisons L'ensemble de quatre gouaches sur soieCachet de l'artiste en haut à gauche10,5 x 20,5 cm. (4 1/8 x 8 1/8 in.)(a vue)Four gouache on silkProvenanceAcquis par l’actuel propriétaire auprès de l’artiste à SaigonTu Duyen was born in 1915 in the Vietnamese province of Bắc Ninh. He started his artistic career in Nam Sơn’s workshop (Nguyen Nam Son, 1890-1973). He then studied at the School of Fine Arts of Indochina between 1935 and 1938. When northern Vietnam came under Japanese control, Tú Duyên headed to the south of Saigon in 1942, where he began experimenting painting with wood engraving, using the technique of traditional prints of the Dong Ho village.He created a new technique called "hand-stamped printing". He used both "relief" and "in depth" carving of wooden planks, applying colors with his fingers and then pressed or rubbed his hand, transferring the image on silk or paper. His motifs are not only limited to Vietnamese women but also include historical figures inspired by ancient works.The masterwork "Festivals" reveals the intricacy of Dong Hoi’s style, allying sweetness and aesthetics of Vietnamese traditional painting transposed through his unique interpretation.