Le Pho: “Portrait of Le Thi Luu”, 1935, or “the half-open door lets in the breeze”
Large works in oil on canvas from Le Pho’s early period are extremely rare. They include “L’Âge heureux” (1930), illustrated…
The Vietnamese section at Christie’s in Hong Kong, September 26 and 27, 2024: a sip of green tea
12 works (out of 12) sold for a total of HKD 27,880,000 (€3,213,000, USD 3,576,000) at Christie’s in Hong Kong’s…
Mai Thu, 1935, « The return of the harvest », or no one can be deprived of nostalgia
On October 21, 1930, having just graduated (on June 19) from the Hanoi School of Fine Arts, in the first…
Nguyen Trung, « Les Élégantes », 2000, or grace, a subtle ploy against dogmatism
In the 1930s, two groups of Vietnamese emerged from Hanoi’s École des Beaux-Arts: those who left to conquer the West,…
Vu Cao Dam, circa 1939, “Woman’s Head”, or the power of idealization
Before the war, Vu Cao Dam, who is often overlooked for having graduated from the sculpture section of Hanoi’s Ecole…
“Musiciens dans le Jardin” (Musicians in the Garden), circa 1940, or the wisdom of allusion versus the militancy of illusion
In this delightful gouache and ink on silk of exceptional dimension (72 X 54 cm), rare also for its subject,…
Nguyen Tuong Lan « In The Lotuses », 1933, or the graceful emancipation of the vietnamese woman
Nguyen Tuong Lan had just graduated from the Hanoi School of Fine Arts in the 4th class (1928-33) when he…
Alix Aymé, « Pastorale », circa 1938 – 1940, or the presentiment of forbidden love
This iconic lacquer (150 X 229 cm) by Alix Aymé – who can never be praised enough for her essential…
My interview in Argument magazine
One lucky day, while I was scouring exhibitions and auction houses in search of masterpieces and new talent, I came face…
Luong Xuan Nhi, « Portrait de dame », 1939, or the elegance of the combat
The 1930s-40s in Vietnam witnessed a resolute questioning of Confucianism and increased promotion of the country’s independence. Independence was evoked,…