Mai Trung Thu

Galerie Bellecour, Lyon

Lyon, France, Galerie Bellecour, Les Peintures Sur Soie de Mai-Thu, 28 December 1940 - 15 January 1941

The work is in good condition overall. There is evidence of light wear and handling on the margins of the painting predominantly on the upper right quadrant, along with a slight undulation of the silk. Upon close observation, minute paint losses are visible next to the lady's forehead, on the bending arm (near elbow), below the window, on the dress (hip area) and on the lower portion of the dress. Examination under ultraviolet light shows no evidence of restoration. Framed, under Plexiglas.
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NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The year 1937, Mai Trung Thu decided to move to France after teaching for six years in Vietnam. Together with Le Pho and Vu Cao Dam, the three artists formed a trio known to be the first Vietnamese artists working and residing in Paris. With the high demand of their works, exhibitions and achievements, they were carried further away from home. Mai Thu was a graduate of the École des Beaux Arts de Indochine, and was renowned for his succinct brushwork and use of colour. He was a prolific artist who was well-versed in various mediums such as pencil, red chalk and oil, but silk remains his preferred medium.

Executed in 1940, the present Lot Elegant Lady Overlooking the Balcony is an early work demonstrating the artist’s mission to conciliate tradition with modernity and innovation. Mai Thu depicts the profile of a young lady dressed in traditional Vietnamese ao dai attire. The precise and delicate brushstrokes perfectly delineate the soft lines of the feminine figure. Depicting the lady in a reverie, the painting is a fine instance of Mai Thu’s flair in revealing a nonchalant feminine cool. Love, melancholy and innocence are persistent themes in the artist's body of works.