Flowers and Gloves: «White» Triumphs (Again) in the Vietnamese Section at Christie’s in Hong Kong on September 27, 2025

The treacherous Cyclone Ragasa tried to spoil the sale, but to no avail. All 14 lots in the Vietnamese section sold brilliantly, once again earning auctioneer Carmen Shek Cerne well-deserved “white gloves” for this section.

After the phenomenal Philippe Damas collection was dispersed in March, the 14 works were savored like one would enjoy tea at The Peninsula, while violins played the E string and rain poured down on Kowloon.

The (admittedly very reasonable) pre-estimate for the lot—HKD 6,790,000—was multiplied by three, resulting in a final price of HKD 19,088,000 (€2,088,400, USD 2,453,000).

Six artists (five deceased, one living), fourteen works created between 1927 and 2008 (five in Vietnam, nine in France—or perhaps one in Italy), three techniques, from oil on canvas to lacquer, gouache, and ink on silk.

Three works by Mai Thu were presented: one from 1945 (lot 141), one from 1955 (lot 142), and one from 1966 (lot 143).

Although they sold well — “La Classe” (lot 142) fetched HKD 2,159,000 (€237,300, USD 277,400) — they cannot hide the aforementioned decline in the painter’s popularity. Exceptional works, such as “Tea Time in Hué” (lot 137 from the Philippe Damas Collection, Christie’s Hong Kong, March 29, 2025), fetch their price. In this case, the price was HKD 4,032,000 (€443,000, USD 518,000). However, the market appears more hesitant for works after 1950, as they have appeared too frequently in recent years.

Joseph Inguimberty distinguished himself with two beautiful oil paintings on canvas from 1927 and 1928 (lots 144 and 145). Having recently settled in Vietnam, the artist-teacher conveys the joy of his passionate encounter with the country he adored. This passion explodes in these two works, which smashed their estimates at HKD 1,270,000 (€138,000, or $163,000). The first, “The Exchange in the Village,” was particularly impressive.

Next were two lacquer works by Pham Hau (lots 146 and 147). Now, buyers can distinguish between an exceptional piece and one that the artist has reproduced many times. The first sold for HKD 3,556,000 (€389,500 or $456,000)—six times its estimate—while the second sold for HKD 1,651,000 (€181,000 or $212,000)—four times its estimate.

Le Pho continues his impressive run. His “Portrait of a Lady” (lot 148), a stunning gouache and ink painting on silk from around 1940, sold for HKD 2,286,000 (€250,700, USD 294,000), tripling its estimate. This result suggests that the market is still somewhat immature; it would have been enough for the subject to be Asian rather than European for the price to triple. It is time for essentialization to fade away in favor of recognizing the pure talent of a work. Large, colorful oil paintings on canvas from Le Pho’s Findlay period (lots 153 and 154) propagate aesthetic optimism and always attract high bids.

Lot 149, a rare lacquer painting by Nguyen Trung, quadrupled its estimated value, selling for HKD 482,000 (€52,900, or US$62,000). The 85-year-old painter was trained in the south and has many followers, primarily in Vietnam and within the Vietnamese community in the United States.

Two works by Vu Cao Dam from his Findlay period (after 1963), lots 150 and 151, attracted fierce bidding, doubling and tripling their estimates. His splendid “White Flowers”, lot 152, was particularly beautiful and fetched HKD 1,270,000 (€138,000, $163,000), six times its estimate. We reproduce them above because we love them. The great Vu Cao Dam.

The sale on 27 September 2025 reflects a healthy, solid and enthusiastic market.

We must never forget that it is mainly this market that has brought Vietnamese painting out of the cultural rut it had been in since the 1990s.

Jean-François Hubert