Flowers by Mai-Thu From the Collection of a Relative of Emperor Bao Dai
Mai-Thu was able to renew the still-life genre thanks to his technique and style, inherited from Vietnamese culture. These Chrysanthemums, from the collection of Nguyen Dê, Emperor Bao Dai’s Chief of Staff, are a testament to this.
Estimate: €150,000/200,000
© Comité Mai-Thu, Adagp, Paris, 2025
Mai-Thu never left anything to chance. Technique and style combine to give his paintings the most finished look possible. He even made his own frames, as in the case of this Yellow Vase with Chrysanthemums, with its wood patinated in gold and silver leaf, and its carved decoration of scrolls and stylized flowers inspired by the interior decorations of the imperial palace of Hué. The frame is an integral part of the work, its colors matching those of the painting and its refined style matching that of the still-life composition. A yellow vase is placed on a table, the background is uncluttered, the leaves invade the surface while the four chrysanthemums illuminate the interior with their white color. In Asia, this flower has a strong symbolic value. It represents autumn, and blooms at a time when many plants wither under the onslaught of wind and snow. It is thus associated with longevity, with many legends extolling its powers. Drinking chrysanthemum wine on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month is said to prolong life! Mai-Thu renews the traditional Western still-life genre with his perfect mastery of line and drawing, and his references to Vietnamese culture. This synthesis is also reflected in Mai-Thu’s highly distinctive technique of watercolor or gouache applied to a silk surface, usually produced in Vietnam in rolls, but stiffened by the addition of glue, rice flour or starch and alum, to become flat paintings. Another major advantage of this work is its provenance. It originates by way of descendance from the collection of Nguyen Dê, Emperor Bao Dai’s Chief of Staff. Grandson of the Viceroy of Tonkin, Nguyen Dê, who studied in France and was close to Westerners, enjoyed a successful career in administration before being approached by Emperor Bao Dai in 1932. He was appointed Chief of Staff. As the emperor’s modernization plans clashed with the colonial administration, Nguyen Dê resigned, but was recalled to his post in 1949 by a Bao Dai who was now Vietnam’s head of state. In 1952, he was appointed Minister of State and Imperial Delegate for the ‘Mountain Peoples’ of the North and South. After the signing of the Geneva Accords, he went into exile in France, settling with his precious collection in a private mansion in the 16th arrondissement.
Wednesday 11 June 2025 – 14:00 (CEST) – Live
Salle 16 – Hôtel Drouot – 75009 Paris
Varenne Enchères
