Discover 75 years of Patriotic Emulation through a collection of valuable propaganda paintings from the French resistance period

Poster encouraging people to actively participate in the popular education movement during the resistance war against French colonialism

The collection of propaganda paintings was introduced by the Vietnam National Museum of History in the special exhibition Patriotic Emulation - Nurturing Green Seeds to commemorate the 75th anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh's call for patriotic emulation (June 11, 1948 - June 11, 2023).

Propaganda paintings stay with the years

The collection has enough propaganda paintings from many periods, from the first years of the Patriotic Emulation movement during the resistance war against France, to the period of building the socialist North and fighting for national reunification, to the period of building the country after the war and industrialization and modernization of the country today.

Viewing the collection is an interesting experience to understand the patriotic emulation movement associated with the characteristics of each historical period. At the same time, understand many things about the development of Vietnamese propaganda paintings - a "specialty" of Vietnamese painting along with some former socialist countries.

Posters encouraging people to increase production

Especially the propaganda posters from the French resistance war, whose authors are still unknown today.

Propaganda paintings of this period look more like carefully drawn sketches than propaganda paintings. The propaganda quality and graphic language typical of propaganda paintings are not yet strong.

The drawing style is simple, the colors are mostly neutral, the strokes are mostly gentle, not too sinister like the strong spirit of many propaganda posters during the anti-American period.

Propaganda painting "Forward, total victory will surely be ours" during the period of resistance against America

When talented artists draw propaganda posters

During the resistance war against the US and the building of socialism in the North, especially when the US intensified its war of destruction in the North, propaganda paintings developed even more strongly to carry out the country's great political tasks.

Propaganda painting to liberate the South and protect the North

According to artist Thuc Phi - former director of the Central Propaganda Painting Workshop, this was the heyday of propaganda paintings with famous artists such as Phan Thong, Le Thanh Duc, Truong Sinh, Thai Son, Thuc Phi, Huynh Van Gam, Xuan Hong, Huynh Phuong Dong, Co Tan Long Chau, Le Lam, Huynh Van Thuan, Dang Duc, Pham Lung, Quoc Thai, Tri Tue, Duy Truc...

The propaganda painting movement at that time spread widely and caused a stir, attracting many big names such as Nguyen Phan Chanh, Nguyen Sy Ngoc, Nguyen Van Ty, Giang Huong, Luong Xuan Nhi, Phan Ke An... who also enthusiastically sent paintings, as a way to show the artists' civic responsibility.

It is easy to understand why propaganda paintings from this period are beautiful, have long-lasting vitality and are currently sought after by collectors.

Painting of the North building, the South fighting 1964

Painter Thuc Phi said that of the propaganda paintings of the Central Propaganda Painting Workshop, a very small number were selected by the Fine Arts Museum, the rest were donated to the Revolutionary Museum (now part of the Vietnam National Museum of History) for preservation.

That is why, on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of Uncle Ho's call for patriotic emulation, the public can see a fairly complete set of posters promoting patriotic emulation, typical from the time the movement was launched until now.

According to Tuoi Tre