Paris (VNA) – A delegation from Vietnam’s representative agencies in France, led by Ambassador Trinh Duc Hai, visited the Paul Éluard Museum of Art and History in Saint-Denis on June 24 to view the original version of “Vive la Paix” (Long Live Peace), a painting created by Spanish artist Pablo Picasso to celebrate the signing of the 1954 Geneva Accords that ended hostilities in Indochina.
During a meeting with museum director Valérie Perlès, Hai stressed that culture has always played an important role in Vietnam–France relations, helping strengthen mutual understanding, connect people, and deepen friendship between the two countries.
He thanked the museum for providing the delegation with a rare opportunity to see the original artwork, which is usually kept in storage and seldom displayed to the public. He also praised the museum’s efforts to preserve and promote valuable art heritage.
Perlès personally guided the delegation through the museum’s collections and introduced documents and artworks related to Picasso. Among them, “Vive la Paix” holds special symbolic significance for Vietnam.
According to the museum director, the artwork was created in 1954 following the signing of the Geneva Accords and was published on the front page of the French newspaper L’Humanité. While Picasso’s famous peace dove appears prominently in the painting, he also added images of people wearing Vietnamese conical hats alongside landscapes reminiscent of Vietnam.
According to Perlès, the work is invaluable not only for its artistic merit but also for its historical and symbolic importance. Over the decades, it has become closely associated with the restoration of peace in Indochina.
Hai said seeing the original painting for the first time was a memorable experience for him and members of the Vietnamese delegation. He noted that beyond its artistic value, the work carries a profound historical message.
Created for a special edition of L’Humanité published on July 25, 1954, “Vive la Paix” remains one of the most meaningful artistic representations of Vietnam during that period, conveying a message of peace that continues to resonate around the world./.
