Doctor A. Yersin was born in Switzerland, has French nationality but is closely attached to the people of Nha Trang - Khanh Hoa.
During his lifetime, people called him "Mr. Nam Yersin" and when he passed away, people brought his tablet to the temple to worship.
To this day, artifacts about Dr. A. Yersin are still preserved by many collectors. Among these artifacts, the most prominent is the portrait of Alexandre Yersin, 50 x 70 cm in size, painted in oil.
This is a precious painting, introduced to the public for the first time by Mr. Dong Luong Son - Chairman of the Association of Admirers of Doctor A. Yersin in Khanh Hoa province on the occasion of the 161st anniversary of the doctor's birth.
The Association of Fans of Doctor A. Yersin has invited experts and artists to appraise the painting.
Based on the material, drawing, and figure of Dr. Yersin, experts have confirmed that the painting is over 80 years old, depicting the last stage of his life.
What is special is that the painting has gone through many historical ups and downs, but to this day, its author remains a mystery.
Mr. Dong Luong Son recounted that 4 years ago, he received a portrait of Dr. Yersin from a resident of Nha Trang. However, this person had no information about the author or the age of the painting. Mr. Dong Luong Son only knew that the great-grandfather of the person who donated the painting kept it in his house for many years before donating it to the Association.
Looking at the portrait painting, many people immediately have a very familiar feeling about a doctor who spent his whole life in Khanh Hoa.
In the painting, Dr. Yersin wears a dark coat with a light collar, his face is old and weak, his beard is gray, but his eyes are still sharp.
Mr. Dong Luong Son assessed that this oil painting is almost unique, possibly painted in Nha Trang or in France when Mr. Yersin was on a business trip.
After Mr. Son discussed with many artists, they all considered this painting to be very rare. Looking at the face and emotions in the painting, some people guessed that Mr. Yersin was over 75 years old at this time.
Doctor Yersin, full name Alexandre Emile Jean Yersin, was born on September 22, 1863 in Lavaud, Vaud County, Switzerland. In 1886, he went to France to work at the Pasteur Institute in Paris. In 1891, he came to Nha Trang to live and work there until his death (March 1, 1943), at the age of 80.
Yersin had many valuable medical works, notably the discovery of the bubonic plague (later named in his honor - Yersinia pestis). He was also the founder of the Pasteur Institute in Nha Trang (1895), Hanoi (1925) and Da Lat (1936). In 2013, Dr. Yersin was posthumously awarded the title of Honorary Citizen of Vietnam by the Government.
