Halong Bay was twice recognized as a world natural heritage site owing to its aesthetic and geological values. It was a source of inspiration to many French artists in the period from 1858 to 1954.
Gaston Roullet (1847-1925) was the first French painter to draw Halong Bay. Called “Navy artist”, Gaston was responsible for taking notes and depicting pictures of impressive scenes when he was on French navy ships sailing along Vietnam. Almost his pictures were about Hanoi, Halong Bay, Hue and Danang drawn between 1885 and 1886.
Other renowned artists include Joseph Inguimberty (1896-1971)- Former Head of the Painting Department of Indochina Fine Arts College, Charles Dominique Fouqueray (1869- 1956), Joseph Henri Ponchin (1897-1962), Gustave Martinien Salge (1878 – 1946), Roger Chapelet (1903-1995), Henri Dabadie (1867-1949), Henri Mege (1904-1984), Maurice Menardeau (1897-1977), Lucien Lièvre (1878-1936), Jean Bouchaud (1891-1977), Gilbert Galland (1870- 1950), etc.
By Phuong Loan
