Trung Thu Mai

We authenticate, certify, issue certificates of authenticity (COA), appraise the value and broker the sale of paintings, prints, and drawings by Trung Thu MAI.

Vietnamese

Born: 1906, Hanoi, Vietnam.

Died: 1980, Hanoi, Vietnam, aged 74.

He spent most of his life in Vietnam, particularly in Hanoi, where he played a crucial role in the development of modern Vietnamese art. Trung Thu Mai also spent a brief period in France during his youth, where he studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris—an experience that deeply influenced his artistic evolution.

Typical Subject Matter:

He typically painted portraits, landscapes, and scenes of everyday life in Vietnam. Trung Thu Mai often focused on the beauty and simplicity of rural Vietnamese life, particularly through his depictions of women, children, and village scenes. He also painted still lifes and urban views, but his most iconic works capture the serene moments of daily life in the countryside, often highlighting traditional Vietnamese customs and attire.

Additionally, Trung Thu Mai worked extensively in the realms of printmaking and lithography, helping to popularize these forms in Vietnam. His prints frequently echoed the same themes of rural life and intimate portraits seen in his paintings.

Typical Style:

He is renowned for his ability to capture the peacefulness and grace of Vietnamese life through a modernist lens. Visually, Trung Thu Mai’s works are characterized by soft, flowing lines and a harmonious use of colour. His works often feature gentle washes of colour that blend seamlessly with the ink outlines, giving them a light, airy quality.

His portraits, especially of women, are rendered with fluid, graceful strokes. The figures in his works often have delicate, almost ethereal qualities, their facial features softly defined, with a warm, natural palette of colours that reflect the subtleties of light and atmosphere.

His landscapes are often atmospheric, with sweeping views of rural Vietnam, from misty fields to verdant hillsides. Trung Thu Mai’s works combine elements of traditional Vietnamese art with Western techniques, resulting in compositions that feel both rooted in local culture and open to modern influences.

Typical Material and Media:

Trung Thu Mai mostly worked in ink and watercolour on paper. Occasionally, he painted on silk, particularly for more formal pieces. This combination of ink, watercolour, and silk became a hallmark of his style. He also produced lithographs and prints.

If you own a painting, a print, or a drawing by or attributed to Trung Thu Mai, we would like to learn about it. Please send us photos or contact us at [email protected]. You will generally receive a response within 24 hours.