Large panoramic artwork displays Dien Bien Phu victory

The extraordinary circular oil on canvas painting is 132m long, 20.5m high and 42m in diameter. It also has a 6m embossed part and a total area of over 3,200 sq.m. With over 4,500 characters, it was done by nearly 100 painters, starting in November 2019 and completed in May 2022. It is ready for display as a centerpiece at the museum in Dien Bien Phu city, the northern mountainous province of Dien Bien on the occasion of the 67th anniversary of Dien Bien Phu Victory. It not only has historical value and carries a message of aspiration for peace but also serves as an invaluable piece of art to raise awareness of revolutionary tradition for generations. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 

The picture clearly depicts the "56 days and nights of drilling the mountains, sleeping in the bomb shelters, under pouring rain, and eating rice balls". These were the conditions that the Vietnamese army and people had endured to create a "Dien Bien Phu victory that shakes the world”. It sends a message to the world about the Vietnamese aspirations for independence and freedom. With a total investment of 40 billion VND USD (1.73 million USD), the artwork is the first 360-degree painting on the history in Vietnam. It praises the illustrious Dien Bien Phu victory over the French troops in 1954 with images of battlefields comprising trenches, bomb shelters and army camps. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Majestic, awesome and full of pride. These are some of the sentiments spectators expressed when standing in front of the panorama. It features over 4,500 characters and is divided into four sections entitled “All people go out to battle”; “The Epic Prelude”; “The Historical Confrontation”; and “The Victory of Dien Bien Phu Battle”. The battle of Dien Bien Phu – a culminating confrontation of the First Indochina War - took place between March 13 and May 7, 1954 under the command of General Vo Nguyen Giap. It was fought between Viet Minh communist revolutionaries and the French colonial troops. The 55 day-and-night fighting marked a milestone that forced France to sign 1954 Geneva Accords to end the war in Indochina. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

"The Dien Bien Phu Battlefield” installation is set up to pay tribute to Vietnamese heroes and martyrs, thereby contributing to preserving the Dien Bien Phu battlefield relic. The Dien Bien Phu campaign is portrayed as a historical song, representing a wide event in space, long in time, full of colors and sounds, full of details and characters, from the first to the last strokes. There are 4,500 characters combined with embossed models and exhibits. In order to add the feeling of being there for visitors, light and sound effects were also added. Over 100 artists joined in the painting process, most of them young graduates from the Vietnam University of Fine Art. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

The first section “All People Go out to Battle” depicts convoys of bicycles transporting goods for the campaign. The painting is divided into four sections: The section of the people going out to battle, the section of epic prelude; the section of historical confrontation and the section of Dien Bien Phu victory. All sections are connected, creating a panorama of the Dien Bien Phu Campaign, making a strong impression on viewers. As a world-class work of art, it is a special highlight for local historical tourism. The display is also a valuable source of information contributing to preserving revolutionary traditions for the younger generations. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Convoys of bicycles carry food for soldiers serving Dien Bien Phu campaign. Vu Thi Tuyet Nga, Deputy Director of the Dien Bien Phu Victory Museum said the panorama not only helps viewers appreciate the art, but also understand more about the arduous sacrifice of soldiers in the battle of Dien Bien Phu nearly seven decades ago. At the same time, it will also be a venue to educate revolutionary traditions, patriotism and national pride for generations.  Nguyen Van Mac, manager of the project, said he and other painters spent more than 1,200 days, of which more than 500 days of sketching and more than 750 days of official drawing, in Dien Bien. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

The image of thousands of soldiers pulling artillery into the battlefield. The campaign began on March 13, 1954, under the command of General Vo Nguyen Giap. After 56 days of fierce fighting, the Vietnamese forces won on May 7, which led to the signing of the 1954 Geneva Accords on Peace in Indochina, ending the war in Vietnam and restoring peace in Indochina. Nguyen Huu Chap, a war veteran who joined the campaign, said the picture recalls such glorious times when many comrades and soldiers sacrificed to bring peace like today. He felt like he joined the campaign recently, instead of more than six decades ago. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

The second section “Epic Prelude” with the Him Lam battle opening the Dien Bien Phu campaign as a highlight. Winning the opening battle dealt a heavy blow to the morale of the French army, and at the same time strengthened our soldiers’ trust on the next battles. Nguyen Van Mac, Director of the cultural heritage preservation company and a manager of the art project, said it aims to convey an image of a people’s war. It depicts the entire army going to battle, the opening combat at Him Lam hill, the A1 hill battle, and the triumph. The painting was done with about 30 painters working continuously and some occasionally. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 

The battle of Dien Bien Phu - culminating confrontation of the First Indochina War - took place between March 13 and May 7, 1954 under the command of General Vo Nguyen Giap. It was fought between the French troops and Viet Minh communist revolutionaries. The 55 day-and-night fights marked a milestone that forced France to sign 1954 Geneva Accords and ended the war in Indochina.  “The Dien Bien Phu Battlefield” installation is set up to pay tribute to Vietnamese heroes and martyrs, thereby contributing to preserving the Dien Bien Phu battlefield images. This is considered a breakthrough work, a miracle of Vietnamese art. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

The third section “Historical confrontation” with images of trenches, barbed wire, hand-to-hand combat reflects the fierceness of the battlefield. Ending the section is the image of a column of smoke from artillery on the A1 hill. Luong Xuan Doan, Chairman of the Vietnam Fine Arts Association, said it is an epic art piece made from drawings, adding that the participation of young people makes the painting even more valuable. The Dien Bien Phu Campaign lasted from March 13 to May 7, 1954 under the command of General Vo Nguyen Giap. Its victory on May 7, 1954 led to the signing of the 1954 Geneva Accords in which France agreed to withdraw its forces from its colonies in Indochina. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

The fourth section “Victory”: French troops defeated. Opposite to the image of the French army’s defeat is the flag “Determined to fight, determined to win" of the Vietnam People's Army flying on the roof of the General De Castries’ bunker, marking the victory of Dien Bien Phu campaign. Many visitors are very excited and feel overwhelmed when contemplating the world’s biggest panorama on the military campaign at the Dien Bien Phu Victory Museum. The picture is a tribute to heroes who bravely fought for national independence and freedom and a reminder for today’s generation on revolutionary tradition, and the power of great solidarity and patriotism. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

The victory of the Vietnamese revolutionary military in this battle effectively ended the eight-year-old war. With French forces in disarray after the battle, the French government sought an end to the fighting; an official settlement was negotiated at an international conference in Geneva. It could be seen that the panorama has recreated the historic victory of Vietnam. It gives viewers a full and vivid image of the events that transpired. Events are seamlessly connected through vivid images. The group of authors and artists want to send the viewers messages about the desire for independence and freedom of the whole nation, the will to thrive, the solidarity of the whole nation, creating a shocking victory Dien Bien Phu. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Visitors are very excited and feel overwhelmed when contemplating the panorama on the military campaign at the Dien Bien Phu Victory Museum.  Nguyen Huu Chap, a war veteran who joined the campaign, said he felt like he joined the campaign recently, instead of more than six decades ago. All sections are connected seamlessly, creating a panorama of the Dien Bien Phu Campaign, making a strong impression on viewers. As a world-class work of art, it is a special highlight for local historical tourism. The display is also a valuable source of information contributing to preserving revolutionary traditions for the younger generations. This is considered a breakthrough work, a miracle of Vietnamese art. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

The picture is a tribute to heroes who bravely fought for national independence and freedom and a reminder for today’s generation about revolutionary tradition, and the power of great solidarity and patriotism. Vu Thi Tuyet Nga, Deputy Director of the Dien Bien Phu Victory Museum said the panorama helps viewers not only appreciate the art, but also understand more about the arduous sacrifice of soldiers in the battle of Dien Bien Phu nearly seven decades ago. At the same time, it will also be a venue to educate revolutionary traditions, patriotism and national pride for generations. In order to provide the ‘real’ feeling of being in the battle for the visitors, light and sound effects are also added. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

It could be seen that the panorama has re-created the historic victory of Vietnam, giving spectators a full and vivid view. The picture clearly depicts the "56 days and nights of drilling the mountains, sleeping in the bomb shelters, under pouring rain, and eating rice balls". These are the conditions that the Vietnamese soldiers and people had endured to make a "Dien Bien Phu victory that shook the world”. It sends a message to the world about the Vietnamese aspirations for independence and freedom. Over 100 artists joined in the painting process of the great panorama, which portrayed 4,500 characters combined with embossed models and exhibits. (Photo: VietnamPlus)