Large 1972 Oil Painting on Canvas, “Two Figures”, Pham Luc, Vintage Artwork

Large scale, striking early work by significant  Vietnamese modernist artist Phạm Lực known as “The Picasso of Vietnam”. A particularly emotive piece, painted early in his art career, during his actual military service period, capturing raw human emotions of resilience. Two stylised figures are compressed into a shallow pictorial space giving the composition an immediate, almost expressionistic quality. Heavy contour lines, flattened perspective and rapidly worked colour give the scene considerable intensity; a style for which Luc is particularly famous.

Presented in the original 1970s exhibition frame constructed from white painted solid wood with a shadow box style to expose the raw canvas edges, and protected with Plexiglass.

78cm x 69cm frame

70cm x 60cm artwork

Artist biography: Phạm Lực (born 1943 in Huế, Vietnam), is an important Vietnamese modern and contemporary painter whose career is closely intertwined with the country’s wartime and post-war history. Earning international acclaim, catching the eye of prominent figures like former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who visited his Hanoi studio. Supported by a dedicated international collector base numbering over a hundred passionate members who preserve thousands of his pieces. His subjects frequently encompass war, family, motherhood, everyday Vietnamese life and the emotional consequences of conflict. His paintings are characterised by bold drawing, simplified forms and expressive colour, and examples have entered the collection of the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum as well as numerous international private collections.