Bui Xuan Phai

Bùi Xuân Phái (September 1, 1920 – June 24, 1988) was a Vietnamese painter. He is famous for the painting of Hanoi Old Quarters. He also painted the actors and musicians of Vietnamese opera.

Career In Phai's youth, he drew cartoons for newspapers. He earned money from royalties and enrolled himself into the introductory course at the École Supérieure des Beaux-Arts d'Indochine. The principle at École Supérieure des Beaux-Arts d'Indochine was to train artists within the traditional thematic principles encompassing traditional arts. While being at École Supérieure des Beaux-Arts d'Indochine, Phai was in constant critique over his identity and found himself often involved with the principle instructor of painting. 2 years after graduating from École Supérieure des Beaux-Arts d'Indochine, Phai joined the August resistance in Hanoi and took part in artistic activities in Northern Vietnam from 1947 to 1952. In 1957, Phai became a member of the Vietnam Fine Arts Association. However, during the same time period, Phai lost his teaching position at the Hanoi College of Fine Arts for supporting Nhan Van affair, a movement for political and cultural freedom and was not allowed to show his work in public until a solo exhibition in 1984.

Honors and awards Main awards

Ho Chi Minh Prize in Literature and Art 1996

1946 National Fine Arts Exhibition Award

National Fine Arts Exhibition Award 1980 Leipzig Graphics Award (Germany) Capital Fine Arts Award in 1969, 1981, 1983, 1984

Others

Medal of Vietnamese Fine Arts 1997 On September 1, 2019, Phai was honored by a Google Doodle on his 99th birthday.

Artworks Main artworks Source:

Hanoi Old Quarters, 1972 (Oil painting) Resistance in Hanoi, 1966 (Oil painting) An Ox Cart in Old Quarter, 1972 (Oil painting) Deserted Street, 1981 (Oil painting) Make-up Before a Cheo Representation, 1968 (Oil painting) Cheo Stage, 1968 (Oil painting) A Cheo Couple, 1967 (Oil painting) Before Curtain Time, 1984 (Oil painting)