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60 - VIETNAM, Circa 1930 Rare bust of Emperor Bảo Đại The Emperor…
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Estimate €10,000 - €15,000
Sale commission
Description
VIETNAM, Circa 1930 Rare bust of Emperor Bảo Đại The Emperor of Vietnam is depicted here frontal in his youth, with youthful facial features, wearing his official robe (ao) decorated with characters and emblems, as well as several honorary medals (Kim Bai plaque and Order of the Dragon of Annam), his head adorned with a turban. Lost wax bronze made by the Valsuani Foundry. Signature "Villeneuve" engraved on the side of the bust. Height: 58 cm Width: 52 cm Provenance: French private collection, inherited by descent. This bust represents Emperor Bảo Đại in his early years, at the beginning of a reign marked by both Vietnamese imperial tradition and French influence. Trained in France and crowned in 1926, he embodied a transitional figure, whose official image blended ancestral dress codes with signs of modernised power, as evidenced here by the coexistence of court dress and Western-inspired honorary decorations. The production of bronze portraits of sovereigns and dignitaries was relatively widespread under the Nguyễn dynasty, particularly in the context of trade with France. By way of comparison, an imperial bust of His Majesty Khải Định (1885-1925), created by the sculptor Paul Ducuing (1867-1949), adorned the young emperor's study. Our work is fully in keeping with this tradition of official commissions entrusted to French artists, intended to affirm both the prestige of the imperial court and its openness to Western models. The quality of execution of this bronze is inseparable from the way it was produced by the Valsuani Foundry, a leading Parisian workshop renowned since the early 20th century for its mastery of lost-wax casting. Founded by Claude Valsuani, the company is renowned for its work with major modern sculptors such as Aristide Maillol, Charles Despiau and Vu Cao Dam. Valsuani cast irons are distinguished by their great fidelity to the original modelling, the finesse of the chasing and the richness of the patinas, qualities perceptible here in the nuanced rendering of volumes and ornamental details. In this context, the use of a founder of this calibre underlines the prestigious nature of the commission. While some contemporary pieces from more industrial workshops have more uniform surfaces, Valsuani's casting retains the vibrancy and depth of material typical of the great works of an art studio. The signature "Villeneuve", as yet little documented, probably refers to a sculptor active in the French artistic milieu in the first half of the 20th century, whose sensitive and nuanced approach to portraiture is in line with the continuity of these artistic exchanges between France and the Vietnamese imperial court. H: 58 x W: 52 cm - Weight: 27
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About the sale Arts of Vietnam: Duplex Paris-Hanoi, 11th edition
Auction location
Auction time 06/12/2026 at 10:00 AM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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