Lot 7
Vu Cao Dam (Vietnamese/French, 1908-2000). Oil on canvas painting depicting a family in a bright yellow and red landscape, 1981. Signed and dated along the lower right. Wally Findlay Galleries label along the verso.
We would like to thank Yannick Vu Jakober for confirming the authenticity of this work.
Lot Essay:
Born in Hanoi in 1908, Vu Cao Dam displayed an early interest in the arts. His father, a well-educated Catholic, brought him up in a home surrounded by traditional Chinese calligraphy and a wide range of cultural influences. In 1926, he began his formal artistic education at the painter Victor Tardieu's Ecole des Beaux-Arts de l'Indochine, now the Vietnam University of Fine Arts. Tardieu and his instructors taught academic European painting to his students as well as decoration, architecture, anatomy, and sculpture. It was at sculpture that young Vu Cao Dam most excelled, and he joined the newly minted sculpture program at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts, where he created several bronze busts that won him early acclaim.
In 1931, following his graduation from the Ecole des Beaux-Arts de l'Indochine, Vu Cao Dam received a scholarship to continue his art education in Paris. He began his Parisian studies at the Cite Internationale Universitaire de Paris. During his first year there, Vu Cao Dam received the prestigious honor of an invitation to display his works in the Exposition Coloniale Internationale. He then continued his studies at the Ecole du Louvre, where he was able to view the works of the great European academic masters he had been trained to emulate. However, he was most compelled by more recent works of the impressionists and post-impressionists, as well as great sculptors such as Auguste Rodin and Alberto Giacometti.
Vu Cao Dam's career took off following the completion of his education. He and fellow Vietnamese expatriate Le Pho, a dear friend with whom he had studied in Hanoi, found success and popularity on the Paris art scene. Vu Cao Dam began sculpting what would become his most famous subject matter: elegant Vietnamese ladies. He continued to paint as well as sculpting, often painting on silk, a form of painting taught at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts de l'Indochine. He also began to put down personal roots in France, marrying and having two children.
When World War II broke out, Paris became a dangerous place to live and work; Vu Cao Dam sent his family to the countryside to escape the Nazi-occupied city. However, he stayed in Paris, frantically creating art out of any material available under strict rationing, and bicycling the 100-km distance to see his family whenever he could. During this time, he executed several of what are now seen as his finest works out of terracotta, demonstrating his resourcefulness and commitment to his art.
In 1949, plagued by ill health, Vu Cao Dam moved to the south of France with his family, to a villa named Les Heures Claires. The bright, airy atmosphere of southern France had a large impact on his painting, as did the work of his new neighbor, Marc Chagall. His works take on a sunny, pastel air at this point. Throughout the 1950s and into the early 1960s, Vu Cao Dam gained international success, exhibiting throughout France, particularly in Nice, as well as in Sweden, Belgium, and the UK. In the early 1960s, Vu Cao Dam signed an exclusive contract with Wally Findlay Galleries in the United States. This brought his work notoriety in the United States, and there are many fine examples of his work in the United States that originate from this partnership. Vu Cao Dam remained in France for the rest of his life, continuing to create art until his death in 2000.
- Dimensions: Unframed; height: 36 1/2 in x width: 29 1/4 in. Framed; height: 43 1/2 in x width: 36 in x depth: 3 in.
- Condition: Please email us at [email protected] for a condition report or additional photos.
Accepted Forms of Payment:
ACH, American Express, COD (cash on delivery), Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer
Shipping
Removal
Property purchased from Revere Auctions by a successful bidder will not be released to such bidder until the full payment of the total purchase price (including the buyer's premium and online bidding service fee, and all applicable sales taxes) has been made. In addition to other remedies available to us by law, we reserve the right to impose from the date of sale a late charge of 1.5% per month of the total purchase price if payment is not made in accordance with these conditions. Please note that Revere Auctions reserves the right to refuse to accept payment from a source other than the buyer of record. The purchaser must remove all property from the auction premises at his/her expense the day following the auction. All property must be collected within ten (10) days of the auction. If you fail to retrieve the purchased property within thirty (30) days after the Sale Date (such that the 30-day period is termed the "Retrieval Period") Revere Auctions reserves the right to charge a minimum storage and handling fee of $20 per lot per day. Revere Auctions also reserves the right to send the property to a public warehouse for the account and at the risk and expense of the purchaser, to be released only after payment in full of all removal, storage, handling, insurance, and any other costs incurred, together with payment of all other amounts due to us. It is the purchaser's sole responsibility to arrange to collect or ship the property and to identify and obtain any necessary export, import, firearm, endangered species, or other permit for the lot. Revere Auctions and the consignor make no representations or warranties as to whether any lot is or is not subject to export or import restrictions or embargoes. Purchasers are reminded that Revere Auctions' liability for loss or damage to sold property shall cease no later than thirty (30) days after the date of the auction, and immediately upon removal from Revere Auctions' facility if removal takes place within thirty (30) days after the date of sale.
Shipping
Revere Auctions offers in-house shipping for eligible orders and referrals to third-party shippers for all other orders. Customers with eligible orders will receive an email from ShippingSaint.com within two business days after an auction informing you of eligibility. Please allow 7-10 business days after submitting payment for your order for Revere Auctions to begin packaging your order. Eligible orders will include but are not limited to, unframed artwork, framed artwork, jewelry, coins, and decorative objects. Ineligible orders include but are not limited to, furniture, oversized lots, and any lot that must be shipped by a third party.
As a convenience to the Buyer, Revere Auctions will make a referral for packing and shipping to third-party shipping vendors. This is at the request, expense, and risk of the Buyer, and Revere Auctions assumes no responsibility for the items or the timing of delivery. Insurance for in-transit items is the responsibility of the buyer. The buyer must reach out to a third-party shipping vendor to arrange shipping.
"Oversized lots" are objects such as furniture, andirons, floor vases, sculptures, or any other item whose safe packing will exceed the limits of common carriers. The delivery of oversized, large, exceedingly heavy, or high-value objects is not an inexpensive proposition and we urge you to consider this before bidding.
The buyer must fill out the Shipping Release Form in order for their items to be released to a third-party shipper. This is to ensure that the won item(s) are given to the proper shipping company and reach their final destination safely. This form can be found here: revereauctions.com/shipping-release-authorization/
For a list of referrals for third-party shipping vendors, please see our Shipping Information page for more details. revereauctions.com/shipping-information/
Revere Auctions
You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 25% and any applicable taxes and shipping.
View full terms and conditions
| From: | To: | Increments: |
|---|---|---|
| $0 | $299 | $25 |
| $300 | $999 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $2,999 | $100 |
| $3,000 | $6,999 | $200 |
| $7,000 | $9,999 | $500 |
| $10,000 | $19,999 | $1,000 |
| $20,000 | $49,999 | $2,000 |
| $50,000 | $99,999 | $5,000 |
| $100,000 | $499,999 | $10,000 |
| $500,000 | $999,999 | $25,000 |
| $1,000,000 | $9,999,999 | $50,000 |
| $10,000,000 + | $100,000 |