The Indochina School of Fine Arts: cradle of Vietnamese modern art
- Cabinet Gauchet Art Asiatique
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
Founded in 1925 in Hanoi by the French painter Victor Tardieu, the École des Beaux-Arts de l'Indochine (EBAI) is one of the major milestones in the history of modern art in Southeast Asia. Colonial art institution but also a place of cultural fusion and transmission, it has shaped a generation of Vietnamese artists whose aesthetic heritage continues to resonate in the international art market and in museums around the world.
Created as part of the colonial cultural “enhancement” project, EBAI aimed to teach European art techniques to young Indochinese talent. Under the direction of Victor Tardieu and then Joseph Inguimberty, the school quickly distinguished itself by an original pedagogy combining French academic rigour (perspective, anatomy, oil painting) and respect for Asian traditions (silk painting, lacquer, calligraphy).
This hybridity has allowed the emergence of a distinctly Vietnamese artistic style, nourished by both Western influences and reinterpretations of local traditional arts. The School has thus become a catalyst for artistic modernity that has constantly been in dialogue with the history, cultural identity and contemporary aspirations of Vietnam.
Several artists from EBAI are now considered the pillars of modern Vietnamese art.
Nguyễn Phan Chánh (1892–1984) is known for his delicate silk paintings. It illustrates the perfect synthesis between western technique and oriental aesthetics. His works sensitively reflect the daily life of rural Vietnam.
Lê Phổ (1907–2001), who moved to France in the 1930s, developed an abundant work marked by the softness of feminine forms and floral landscapes. Represented by the largest galleries, he remains one of the most popular Vietnamese artists on the international market.
Mai Trung Thứ (1906–1980), also based in France, explores visual poetry tinged with nostalgia. His mastery of painting on silk, combined with a refined iconography, makes him a major figure in the pictorial refinement of the school.
Vu Cao Dam (1908–2000), sculptor and painter, he is also represented in the West, notably by French galleries. His classical training led him to a very personal artistic expression, at the crossroads of Greek and Asian influences.
To Ngoc Van (1906–1954) and Tran Van Can (1910–1994), who remained in Vietnam, contributed to the emergence of an art committed to the political and social context of the Indochina War and Reunification.
These artists have contributed to radiate the Vietnamese culture while affirming the specificity of a postcolonial pictorial modernity.
Since the 1990s, there has been a considerable resurgence of interest in auction sales for EBAI artists. Several records have been recorded by the auction houses, testifying to a real heritage and artistic revalorisation of this school in the history of world art.
This phenomenon is accompanied by a critical re-reading by art historians and museum institutions. The École des Beaux-Arts de l'Indochine is now being studied as a space for cultural negotiation, identity building and symbolic resistance to colonial domination.
In this context of rediscovery and effervescence around Vietnamese art, Gauchet Art Asiatique offers a rigorous and specialized expertise. Thanks to a thorough knowledge of this period and its major figures, our firm accompanies collectors, heirs and institutions in the authentication, evaluation or sale of these rare works.
Our know-how is based on precise documentation, active market monitoring and a network of international partners. Discreet and transparent, we value the Vietnamese artistic heritage in respect of its history and its uniqueness.
Among the highlights to come, the next sale dedicated to modern Vietnamese art is a major event for amateurs and collectors. Works by Lê Phổ, Mai Trung Thứ or Vu Cao Dam will be presented, illustrating the spectacular rise of this still too little known part of Asian art.
→ To request a free estimate:
Bibliography:
Nora A. Taylor, Painters in Hanoi: An Ethnography of Vietnamese Art, Singapore University Press, 2004.
Phan, Lê Chí, Laque et modernité : Inguimberty, l’École des Beaux-Arts de l’Indochine et les premiers laqueurs vietnamiens, in Revue d’histoire de l’art, 2018.
Nguyễn Quang Phong, L’influence de l’École des Beaux-Arts de l’Indochine sur l’art vietnamien moderne, Université des Beaux-Arts de Hanoï, 2015.
Collectif, Vietnam, Art et Culture, Musée Cernuschi, Paris, 2014.
Zohra Dali, « Les Beaux-Arts de l’Indochine, entre tradition et modernité », Revue d’Asie du Sud-Est, n°12, 2021.
Comments