THE SIMPLICITY IN VAN THO’S PAINTINGS

Van Tho’s paintings presents distinctive characters in flexible using of palette color and the quick manner of drawing. It is said that his paintings are, to some extent, under effects of Picasso. But in his generation, Picasso had affects on many people or gave them the new insight for change. With quick paintings and a lot of paintings, it is seemed that Van Tho want to record fleeting impressions on people and landscape instead of creating deep-flying paintings. He has his own painting style with simple layouts which do not exceed a realistic painting.

Van Tho’s paintings present the simplicity from observed subjects, layout to the formation of contours and mixture of colours. It is seemed that the artist preferred the opposite relationship of colors: light yellow, lime with cobalt blue, blue; orange with green, dark blue …. Therefore, people, landscape, boats, sky with curl cloud, sea surface with billowing waves, endless sandy beaches stand out in many ways, with antithesis and without disputes. The multi-coloured pallet of Van Tho is close to folk art, Dong Ho paintings, Hang Trong and votive objects in which Nguyen Tu Nghiem used to be interested.

Portrait is a special series of the artist. With a big part of colour as the background, a few lines depicting characters, embellishing lines the face, hands, sketches on clothing and appearance, an old-timer Van Cao with honest and gentle smile, a Bui Xuan Phai with patterns of old quarters, a Nguyen Sang with vigorous eyes on the life or portraits of gentle women may appear before our eyes. Colors which are seemed to be plain but show the destiny of characters who the artist sees and interprets. The solitude of Van Cao can be seen not only through portraits but also in yellow background frame such as colors of Van Gogh’s self-portraits.