ART HISTORIAN AND COLLECTOR Suzanne Lecht needed a suit-able setting in which to house her wonderful collection of contemporary paintings and older Vietnamese treasures. To this end, she acquired a traditional Vietnamese house in the suburbs of Hanoi and had a Black Thai minority (as this T’ai minority is known in Vietnam) house built on top of it. Her three-story dwelling is thus home to both ancient and contemporary art.
The contemporary art scene in Vietnam is very vibrant thanks to a rich tradition enhanced by a century-long dis-semination of French art and techniques and the presence of many public and private art institutions, especially in Hanoi. Suzanne’s collection is extensive and she takes great care in the placement of each and every painting. Doors open to reveal enigmatic portraits by young painters such as Pham Quang Vinh, Le Quoc Viet and Nguyen Quang Huy; scenes of pagoda festivals hang above a beautiful catholic altar from a deconsecrated church in Nam Dinh province; buffaloes and peasants watch over the dreams of those who rest on the traditional Vietnamese beds.
Wisely, Suzanne decided not to modify the ground-floor design. Here, the central compartment is devoted to an altar with the usual liturgical objects. But, true to her passions, she has placed a striking blue painting by Nguyen Quang Huy next to the altar, thus isolating it from the left compart-ment which is used to welcome guests. The right compart-ment also looks very traditional, with two custom-made benches and a table flanked by calligraphic couplets. Looks can be deceptive, though, as only one is genuine. Its (re)com-posed partner was commissioned by Suzanne from a Viet-namese man of letters.
Fusion asks for change. While the ground floor respects Vietnamese tradition and the first floor displays contempo-rary art, the top floor offers an entirely different atmosphere. Here, the Black Thai design surrounds everything from the roof structure to the furniture through the textiles and cush-ions that decorate the sitting room. Going up from the ground floor to the second floor, Suzanne can hence travel around Indochina.
The carved trellised doorway leading to the outside terrace and pool area was designed by the owner when she built the house. Through the doorway, set against the wall, is a classical Burmese musical instrument shaped like a large bronze bell. The painting behind, also by Pham Quang Vinh, is entitled “The Musician.”
The very fine nineteenth-century altar pieces used for ancestor worship which hang on this wall include two couplets. The benches and table is typical of those found in traditional homes where they were used by the family to entertain guests.
The Buddha altar table in this room was designed by the artist Pham Quang Vinh. Standing next to it is a very special piece entitled “The Loving Buddha” by Nguyen Quang Huy, one of Suzanne’s favorite artists. The oil painting shows a double-sided image of the seated Buddha with random text filling the canvas.
Seen through the open doorway upstairs on the landing is an intriguing work by Le Quoc Viet. Titled “The Ego,” it is painted as a scroll in Chinese ink on rice paper. What looks like a coat draped over the figure is, in fact, a series of hands.
Above Suzanne’s bedroom on the top floor is her private haven. She has framed her bed with a nineteenth-century carved lacquer altar frame. An oil painting by Vinh entitled “Princess Mai Chau” hangs on the wall. Princess My Chau was murdered by her own father, King An Duong, one of the first kings of Vietnam, for betraying him to the Chinese.
Above the day bed hangs a painting of Hà Trí Hiếu. To the left is a mixed-media piece by Nguyễn Cầm. A ceramic and oil gas lamp by the ceramic artist Nguyễn Bảo Toàn hangs on the wooden pillar at the head of the bed. A collection of scroll paintings is also stored in this room.
Source: The book ‘Vietnam Style’ — photographs by Luca Invernizzi Tettoni, text by Bertrand de Hartingh and Anna Craven-Smith-Milnes
