Artist Chu Nhat Quang with his lacquer painting
The lacquer painting 'Uncle Ho reading the Declaration of Independence' by artist Chu Nhat Quang, displayed at the Ho Chi Minh Museum, was recognised on September 4 by Guinness World Records as the largest single-piece, non-assembled lacquer painting in the world.
The previous day, an international appraisal council conducted direct measurements and verification at the Ho Chi Minh Museum in Hanoi.
The painting was created on a two-sided, single-piece canvas, measuring 7.2 metres in length and 2.4 metres in height, covering more than 17 m² and weighing up to 3 tonnes. The front side, titled Uncle Ho reading the Declaration of Independence, depicts the historic atmosphere at Ba Dinh Square on September 2, 1945.
The world largest lacquer painting entitled President Ho Chi Minh reading the Declaration of Independence by young artist Chu Nhat Quang. Photos courtesy of Nhat Quang.
The reverse side, titled Spring of the Nation, portrays the joy and aspirations for peace of the Vietnamese people on Independence Day.
The work is currently on display at Chu Nhat Quang’s exhibition Spring of Independence at the Ho Chi Minh Museum, alongside 16 other lacquer paintings, marking the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day on September 2.
Chu Nhat Quang shared that completing the piece over six years was a journey full of challenges, from gathering historical references, sketching, and technical processing to executing the massive canvas.
He particularly appreciated the support of his family and the assistance of artist Nguyen Thanh Tung in researching and experimenting with recycled materials combined with traditional lacquer techniques.
The other side of the painting.
Luong Xuan Doan, Chairman of the Vietnam Fine Arts Association, commented, “This Guinness World Record is not only a personal achievement but also contributes to promoting Vietnamese lacquer art. Through the lens of a young artist, Uncle Ho’s image retains its essence and spirit while presenting a fresh, youthful interpretation. This is a positive signal for generational succession in Vietnamese fine arts.”
