Christie’s Paris is excited to present a very rare property from a French private collection by Le Pho (Vietnam/France, 1907-2001), along with an important collection of Vietnamese lacquer panels by artist Pham Hau (Vietnam, 1903-1995), collected by Maurice Colin (1906-1994) in Vietnam between 1948 and 1954, thence by descent in the same family.
Le Pho (Vietnam/France, 1907-2001)
Portrait d’un ami d’enfance
Oil on canvas, framed
signed 'Lepho 48' (lower right)
46 x 38,2 cm. (18 1/8 x 15 in.)
Painted in 1948
Provenance
French private collection, painted and offered by the artist to the previously owner as a gift.
Christie's Paris, Art d'Asie, June 2023
Price Realised EUR 50,400 at Christie’s Paris, 14 June 2023
The father of the present owner, also from a Vietnamese background, was a long-life friend of painter Le Pho. He arrived in France in 1932. Their families spent a lot of time together in the south of France and children grew up together. The family already sold a painting by Le Pho, also a gift from the painter to the father of the present owner, at Christie's Paris, 9 June 2021, lot 94. This painting is a youth moving portrait of his dear friend by his artist. The portrait remained in the family since the father died in 2003.
From left to right: The passing collector - a long-life friend of Le Pho, Le Pho and the artist's friend Mr Hop.
