The person who painted the most portraits of Uncle Ho in Vietnam

Over the past 50 years, Catholic artist Tran Hoa Binh has painted more than 1,000 portraits of Uncle Ho.

In the “ Hoa Binh Television” shop, about 10 square meters wide, located along Highway 10 on Phat Diem Tay Street, Phat Diem Town, Kim Son District (old Ninh Binh), artist Tran Hoa Binh (born in 1955) is still working hard with pencils, brushes, and drawing paper to satisfy his burning passion for creating thousands of portraits and portraits over the past decades.

This shop, less than 10 square meters wide, is where artist Tran Hoa Binh creates thousands of works.

Painter Binh said that he was born into a local Catholic family. From a young age, he was exposed to brushes, paper, pencils, paints, and colors from his father, the late painter Nam Phong, a famous portrait painter whose painting "Vietnam's Virgin Mary" standing on a globe was displayed at the Vatican (Italy) since late 1953.

“I did not study painting at any school. Since I was little, my father was the one who inspired, taught, and meticulously shaped my first drawings. For me, my father is the special teacher who brought me to painting throughout my life journey,” artist Binh shared.

Being taught by his father step by step like a child learning to read, by the age of 16, he completed his first portrait of Uncle Ho.

Over the past 50 years, Catholic artist Tran Hoa Binh has painted more than 1,000 portraits of Uncle Ho.

“I learned a lot about portrait painting from my father, about style, lines to make the painting soulful and especially my father was very strict in requesting that I not paint Uncle Ho when my skills were not yet solid. In 1971, when I was 16 years old, I completed my first portrait of Uncle Ho and then gave it to the People's Committee of Phat Diem town to hang in the office,” painter Binh recalled.

That was also the motivation for him to pursue painting, continuing his journey of painting portraits of Uncle Ho for over 50 years. Up to now, artist Binh has painted over 1,000 portraits of Uncle Ho. He has become the author who has painted the most portraits of Uncle Ho in Vietnam.

According to artist Binh, when drawing a portrait of Uncle Ho, it is necessary to pay attention to the angles, marks, and details that must be extremely meticulous and highlight highlights such as the eyes, the corners of the mouth, the beard... This way, the painting will be vivid and highlight the majesty of the outstanding but also very close leader.

The artist's portraits are mainly painted in oil, the size he usually paints is 70x90cm. Each painting of Uncle Ho takes him 3-6 days to complete (depending on the size).

The artist has kept the original photo of Uncle Ho for decades.

In particular, among more than 1,000 paintings of Uncle Ho's portrait, he mainly painted Uncle Ho wearing a gray khaki suit, sitting on a sofa, with white hair and beard, and a leisurely and carefree demeanor. The sample photo was taken by a Russian reporter on the occasion of the leader's visit and work here.

Drawing a portrait of Uncle Ho requires attention to the angles, marks, and details that must be extremely meticulous.

According to artist Binh, he painted many types of portraits, but portraits of Uncle Ho were the most loved by many people, who ordered them to be brought all over the country as well as abroad.

It is known that painter Binh and his wife had 4 children, of which 3 sons followed in the footsteps of their grandfather and father in painting portraits. Currently, all 3 children live in Hanoi .

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/nguoi-ve-tranh-chan-dung-bac-ho-nhieu-nhat-viet-nam-2415823.html