Lot 297
  • 297

Mai Trung Thu

Estimate
300,000 - 400,000 HKD
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Description

  • Mai Trung Thu
  • Le Balcon (The Balcony)
  • Signed, stamped with a seal of the artist and dated 1943
  • Ink and gouache on silk

Condition

The work is in good condition overall with very light wear and handling around the edges. Upon very close observation, a few marks of repair are visible on the top border, bottom left quadrant and near the bottom section of the pole and are visible under ultraviolet light inspection. Framed, under Plexiglas.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
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."

Catalogue Note

Mai Trung Thu, colloquially known as Mai Thu, was one of the pioneering modern Vietnamese artists of the 20th century. A member of the first graduating class of the École des Beaux-Arts founded by Victor Tardieu in Hanoi, he moved to Paris in 1937 and subsequently spent the rest of his life living and working in France. The popularity of his artistic style—an amalgamation of French Salon style with Vietnamese aesthetics—resulted in his works becoming a staple of fine arts exhibitions in Paris as well as in the private collections of European collectors.

The present lot titled Balcony is one of the finest examples of Mai Thu’s silk paintings. It offers a glimpse into a woman’s moment of reverie as she leans against the supporting struts of a balcony, a look of wistful longing on her face as she gazes into the distance. She is pensive and lost in her own thoughts. The juxtaposition of the woman’s blue and white ao dai against the earthy background has the effect of drawing the viewer’s attention to her face and form, both delicately rendered in graceful watercolour strokes. Together, the painting’s minimalistic lines and understated use of colour contribute to its elegance.

In this painting, the refined character of the woman is enhanced by the use of soft colours and fine outlines. At the same time, Mai Thu’s attention to detail highlights her subtle beauty. Her features are dainty, from the slim arches of her eyebrows to her rosebud lips; in addition, his feather-light touch can be seen throughout the painting, from the gossamer sheerness of the curtain down to the folds in the draped fabric of the woman’s ao dai over her form.

Balcony is also a striking work that reflects the beauty of silk paintings, an artistic tradition unique to Vietnam within the Southeast Asian region. As a medium, silk paintings came into vogue in Paris with the exquisite works of Mai Thu and his contemporaries such as Le Pho and Vu Cao Dam. The ethereal lightness of the paintings comes from the translucent quality of the effect of watercolours on silk, and the artist could differentiate the opacity of the colours by using a different type of watercolour like gouache, such as seen in the present lot. The enduring popularity of silk painting even today speaks to the classic, timeless appeal of the artworks produced in the medium.

With its harmonious composition, graceful lines, and mellow palette, Balcony is an exquisite work of art that embodies the artistic principles and themes prevalent throughout Mai Thu’s oeuvre. Despite his émigré status as a Vietnamese artist in France, his journey from colony to metropole did not erode his love for his homeland even after years of living away from it. The undercurrent of lyrical melancholy the woman portrays in the painting could very well be a reflection of the artist’s own feelings as he expresses his nostalgia for the country of his youth. Subtle yet undeniably charming, the present lot is an exceptional example of the maturation of Vietnamese silk painting under the hands (and brushes) of pioneering talents like Mai Thu.