The present lot hails from an important single owner grouping (Lot 770 - 772). Acquired by Mr. Pierre Pagès the Governor of Cochinchina, which was the southern region of Vietnam during the French colonial period, the present lot has exceptional provenance. From 1934 to 1939, Pierre Pagès served as the governor of the region, also known as Nam Kỳ in Vietnamese, and had a deep appreciation for Vietnamese arts – a letter from the last emperor of Vietnam Bao Daï to Pagès reveals an exchange regarding lithograph albums by the artist Gia-Dinh. Nguyen Gia Tri's Les Villageois, sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 30 September 2018, Lot 1043, which stands as the world record price for the artist, also hails from this important grouping.

Pagès acquired Mai Trung Thu's Mère et fils (Lot 770) directly from the artist after his return to France. Mai Thu depicts this classical image of maternal love in an idyllic setting, revealing an outdoor garden and a blue porcelain vase displaying cherry blossoms atop a Chinese style table. Mai Trung Thu's Costume de fête (Lot 771) is a charming depiction of a young boy wearing a blue festival costume. Small details such as the boy's ceremonial necklace and dark brown hat reveal Mai Thu's exquisite hand. Lastly, a highly rare silk painting by Dang Tran Côc (Lot 772) was a gift to Mr. Pierre Pagè from the artist, and depicts two women sitting before a loom weaving delicate beads into a piece of fabric.