The Indochina School of Fine Arts in the spotlight – A triumph for Vietnamese art
- Cabinet Gauchet Art Asiatique
- Jun 4
- 3 min read
June 1, 2025
On June 1, 2025, the Millon auction house held a special auction titled " Legends – Centenary of the Indochina School of Fine Arts ," celebrating the centenary of this iconic institution. This event highlighted Vietnam's artistic heritage, attracting collectors and enthusiasts from around the world.
The sale was notable for the presence of leading figures from the Indochina School of Fine Arts, founded in 1925 in Hanoi under the leadership of Victor Tardieu and Nguyễn Nam Sơn. This school marked the convergence of Western techniques and Asian traditions, giving rise to a new visual modernity.
Among the major lots awarded during the sale:
Vu Cao Dam (1908-2000) , a key figure of this generation, saw his work "The Woman in Blue" (circa 1933) soar to €210,000 excluding fees.
Mai Trung Thu (1906-1980) , master of silk painting, presented two key works: “Child Reading” (1968) sold for €80,000 , and “Reclining Nude” (1966), sold for €205,000 , confirming his status as a sure bet on the international market.
Nguyen Van Ty (1917-1992) , known for his dreamlike landscapes, impressed with “Halong Bay” (1942), sold for €112,000 .
Tran Phuc Duyen (1923-1993) had great success with “Return from the Market” (1952) at €52,000 and “View of the Chuâ Thây Pagoda” (1948) at €98,000 .
This sale also allowed us to highlight less publicized artists who are highly appreciated by connoisseurs:
Ngo Manh Quynh (1917-1991) won over fans with “Woman Crossing the Lake” (1941), which sold for €65,000 .
Nguyen Khang (1911-1989) made his mark with his astonishing “Wild Horses” (1985), sold for €150,000 .
To Ngoc Van (1906-1954) , one of the pioneers of modern art education in Vietnam, saw his "Path in the Forest" (1943) sell for €40,000 .
Ton That Dao (1910-1979) won over bidders with “Young Girls with a Banana Tree” , sold for €98,000 .
Le Pho (1907-2001) , highly prized by Asian collectors, saw his “Bouquet aux coquelicots” soar to €50,000 .
It is worth noting the presence of works by Alix Aymé (1894-1989) , a French artist who played a major role in the transmission of Western techniques to Vietnam while promoting traditional media such as lacquer. Two of her works particularly attracted attention:
“At rest” , sold for €14,000 ,
“The Bay of Amalfi” (circa 1960), sold for €26,000 .
The stylistic diversity, the elegance of the forms, and the sensitivity of the themes—ranging from landscapes to genre scenes and portraits—testify to an art form at the crossroads of cultures, deeply rooted in Vietnam's colonial and postcolonial history. The enthusiasm demonstrated during this sale confirms the growing interest of international collectors, particularly Asian and European, in this unique artistic movement.
On the occasion of the centenary of the Indochina School of Fine Arts , this sale paid tribute to a generation of artists who were able to reconcile Vietnamese tradition and Western modernity.
Gauchet Art Asiatique invites you to continue this rediscovery by exploring our upcoming auctions —and by entrusting us with the estimation or sale of your works.
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