Reading letter from battlefront (1964)

- Artist: Nguyễn Hiêm
- Dimensions: 200 x 290 cm
- Materials: Oil on canvas

- This large work depicts an intimate scene of families receiving letters from the battlefront of the Resistance War against America, during the time when men had to go to war in the Southern battlefield while women, elderly and children stayed home. From the flushed-looking cheeks and timid smile, he successfully portrayed a vibrant image of a bashful young girl as she received a letter from maybe her lover, a soldier in the battlefront. At the same time, we see details of wartime in which people had to carry guns when going to work and also in the far distance, viewers can still see military tanks and cannons ready to shoot enemy aircraft. Nguyen Hiem’s approach in exploring another aspect of war-time reality, in this work he chose to highlight the sentiments of people at home, a beautiful moment of peace and joy rather than depicting the horrendous of war.

Nguyễn Hiêm (1917-1976)

- Born in 1917, in Chau Doc, An Giang.

- He studied and graduated from Gia Dinh Fine Arts Practicing School in 1940/1941.

- Nguyen Hiem had a life closely attached to the war and battle front. He had been awarded many noble medals for his life-long contribution in the war and in the arts.