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Lot Essay
Seated Lady (Lot 181) by Le Pho who is, quite possibly, the best known Vietnamese artist of the 20th century. Within this work, Le Pho has created a recognizable, quintessentially Vietnamese figure; her elegant silhouette against a mostly plain background and traditional ao dai render her a character of remote charm and virtue. This intimate work on silk exemplifies the best of Le Pho's Vietnamese oeuvre.
Together with Le Pho and Vu Cao Dam, Mai Thu belongs to a canonical triumvirate of talented Vietnamese artists who, young and enthusiastic in the 1930s, conquered Paris and the Western world with their unique aesthetic blend of classical Vietnamese art and French salon style. Mai Thu graduated from the founding class of the Hanoi Academy of Fine Arts (founded by Victor Tardieu) along with Le Pho and Nguyen Phan Chanh; and a year before To Ngoc Van and Vu Cao Dam. Mai Thu was an eclectic artist, a music afficionado (being a specialist of the Doc-Huyen, a monotone Vietnamese instrument) and also a lover of photography. He moved permanently to Paris in 1937 and encountered the gallerist Jean-Fran?ois Apestéguy who exhibited his work in his gallery at the Deauville Casino. At this time, a rich clientele used to come not only to enjoy the sea air but also to play in the casino and the races. Very early on, the Duke and the Duchess of Windsor acquired some of his work. During his Parisian career, Mai Thu continued using only gouache and ink on silk to depict an elegant and traditional Vietnam where life is sweet despite the tragedies.
The three works presented here are a remarkable illustration of the body of work by an exceptional painter. Lady Reading Kim Vân Kièu refers to a 3250 verse book written in Nôm by Nguyen Du (1765-1820). Kièu's story is well known everywhere in Vietnam: a fable of a great, respected family, a tragic destiny, treason, honour and submission to the norms are the main themes through Nguyen Du's work and it is not surprising that the traditionalist Mai Thu constantly refers to them. Additionally, within the two other works of Maternité and Le Poete, there appears a strong desire by the artist to illustrate a more mythical Vietnam during its violent time of turmoil (the years of 1945-1955) and other major cultural and political changes. Of particular note are the original frames of these two works as during the 1950's, the painter built his own high quality frames to perfect his visual creations.
Together with Le Pho and Vu Cao Dam, Mai Thu belongs to a canonical triumvirate of talented Vietnamese artists who, young and enthusiastic in the 1930s, conquered Paris and the Western world with their unique aesthetic blend of classical Vietnamese art and French salon style. Mai Thu graduated from the founding class of the Hanoi Academy of Fine Arts (founded by Victor Tardieu) along with Le Pho and Nguyen Phan Chanh; and a year before To Ngoc Van and Vu Cao Dam. Mai Thu was an eclectic artist, a music afficionado (being a specialist of the Doc-Huyen, a monotone Vietnamese instrument) and also a lover of photography. He moved permanently to Paris in 1937 and encountered the gallerist Jean-Fran?ois Apestéguy who exhibited his work in his gallery at the Deauville Casino. At this time, a rich clientele used to come not only to enjoy the sea air but also to play in the casino and the races. Very early on, the Duke and the Duchess of Windsor acquired some of his work. During his Parisian career, Mai Thu continued using only gouache and ink on silk to depict an elegant and traditional Vietnam where life is sweet despite the tragedies.
The three works presented here are a remarkable illustration of the body of work by an exceptional painter. Lady Reading Kim Vân Kièu refers to a 3250 verse book written in Nôm by Nguyen Du (1765-1820). Kièu's story is well known everywhere in Vietnam: a fable of a great, respected family, a tragic destiny, treason, honour and submission to the norms are the main themes through Nguyen Du's work and it is not surprising that the traditionalist Mai Thu constantly refers to them. Additionally, within the two other works of Maternité and Le Poete, there appears a strong desire by the artist to illustrate a more mythical Vietnam during its violent time of turmoil (the years of 1945-1955) and other major cultural and political changes. Of particular note are the original frames of these two works as during the 1950's, the painter built his own high quality frames to perfect his visual creations.