Appearing a century ago, Vietnamese modern art was born from the fusion of Asian and Western techniques during the period of French Indochina. Formerly the prerogative of a wealthy Asian clientele, mainly Vietnamese, the works of this artistic movement have gained popularity with Western audiences in recent years. Three painters, considered the pioneers of this art, stand out in particular: Lê Phô (1907-2001), Mai-Thu (1906-1980) and Vu Cao Dam (1908-2000).
On November 12, 2024, the table Mother and children in front of the river (1975) by Mai-Thu sold for 1,091,000 euros in Nantes while its price was estimated between 200,000 and 300,000 euros. A record in France for a work of modern Vietnamese art, but not a first on the international scene. For around ten years, the paintings of this artistic movement have increasingly aroused the desire of art enthusiasts.
Vietnamese modern art emerges in a Vietnam under French protectorate. Paul Doumer, then governor general of Indochina from 1897 to 1902, launched major economic and infrastructure projects in order to modernize the colony. But the First World War broke out, marking a halt to his ambition. Projects resumed in 1920, at a time when the colonial government aspired to spread French education in its colonies and strengthen cultural exchanges.
It is in this context that Victor Tardieu (1870-1937), French painter and father of the writer Jean Tardieu, proposed founding the first School of Fine Arts in Indochina. The French painter discovered Vietnam in 1921 thanks to the Indochina Prize, offering the winner a return trip. For six months, he crisscrossed the colony before stopping in Hanoi. In the Indochinese capital, he met young Vietnamese artists, favorable to the modernization of the country, driven by the colonial empire. Among them, Nguyen Nam Son (1890-1973), a self-taught painter, became his friend.
In this country where the concept of artist does not exist, and where art is limited to craftsmanship, the two friends aim to create the first School of Fine Arts of Indochina (EBAI). With the support of the colonial government, the establishment opened in 1925. This school marked a turning point in Vietnamese artistic history. “There is a form of transformation, because the entire existing artisanal system is being redefined. The EBAI will introduce Western techniques of fine arts, which will subsequently become the reference. There will be a westernization of society. And the challenge for the countries concerned is to preserve traditions while creating an identity with this westernization”explains Anne Fort, curator responsible for the Vietnamese collections at the Cernuschi museum in Paris.
The revival of Vietnamese art
Victor Tardieu has big ambitions for the EBAI. Modeled on the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, he is developing a program of excellence for his future students. The five-year training is selective with an entrance exam. She understands the fundamentals of Western techniques: academic drawing, perspective, modeling, anatomy and composition.
For the school director, this solid foundation aims to enable students “ to rediscover the original taste of Vietnamese tradition, lost by the long Chinese and then Western presence – drawing on the artistic past […] everything that can serve as a starting point for new research – and to offer students the formal means of‘achieve it. » Thanks to this guideline, students deepen their knowledge of their own culture while assimilating Western art. They learn to combine painting on silk and lacquer, an Asian tradition, with oil painting, a European practice. This mix gives rise to a new style, specifically “Indochinese”, placing Vietnamese art in the modern era.
Excellence through versatility
Concerned about the future of his students, Victor Tardieu designs versatile training in order to maximize their professional prospects. “ In Paris, there are two schools. One, specialized in fine arts, and the other, in decorative arts. The EBAI program mixes the two genres, which allows students to be versatile at the end of their training. In Vietnam, the fine arts clientele is almost non-existent, so by integrating decorative arts into the program, Victor Tardieu increases their chance of employability »explains Anne Fort. Victor Tardieu, director of the school until 1937, never ceases to encourage his students. “ He was close to them, like a father. He advised them on their careers, but also on their lives »describes the curator.
The French adventure of the three pioneers
Throughout the promotions, the EBAI brings out many talents, including the best known, Lê Phô (1907-2001), Mai-Thu (1906-1980) and Vu Cao Dam (1908-2000), considered to be the great masters of modern Vietnamese art.
Successively, the three friends joined France between 1931 and 1937, after obtaining their diploma. Their work is promoted in Europe with the support of Victor Tardieu. They participated, among others, in the Colonial Exhibition in 1931 and the Universal Exhibition in 1937, organized at the Bois de Vincennes. The reviews are rave. The works seduce by the variety of supports, pictorial techniques and styles, of both Asian and Western influence.
But the Second World War began shortly after their arrival in France. Lê Phô and Mai-Thu joined the French army from 1939 to 1940. The post-war period was not conducive to taking commands. “There were some very difficult times financially. They could no longer pay the bills.”says Anne Fort.
The destiny of the three friends is punctuated by wars. The first in their country of expatriation and the second in their country of origin. THE Vietnam went through two consecutive wars for thirty-six years, removing any hope of returning to live there. By emigrating to France, the three friends had no idea that they were leaving their homeland for good.
Throughout their career, the three artists practice different styles to adapt to demand. They stood out on the Parisian scene through their painting on silk, depicting an idealized Vietnam. Vu Cao Dam, specializing in sculpture, created busts for eminent personalities such as Maurice Lehmann, Paul Reynaud and Ho Chi Minh at the start of his career. Mai Thu and Lê Phô favor painting on silk, mainly representing women and family scenes.
From the 1960s, the careers of the three artists became lasting. Lê Phô and Mai-Thu signed a contract with the American gallery owner Wally Findlay in 1963, allowing them to have a certain international visibility. Vu Cao Dam worked exclusively with the gallery owner Jean-François Apesteguy from 1958.
Popularity correlated with economic growth
A forgotten time, modern Vietnamese art has experienced renewed interest since the 1990s. “ From the end of the 20th century, Vietnamese works of art began to appear in international auctions in Paris, Singapore and New York. Since 2008, when sales of Southeast Asian art were moved to Hong Kong, the buying public for Vietnamese art has expanded from Southeast Asia to Taiwan, Hong Kong and mainland China, thus accelerating the internationalization of Vietnamese art » explains Liting Hung, Asian painting expert at Sotheby’s.
This spread coincides with the economic development of Vietnam which “ saw the emergence of a new generation of collectors. They show a strong interest in works reflecting Vietnamese cultural identity, which contributes to fueling the growth of Vietnamese modern art on the international scene. »adds the expert.
Today, the works of the three great masters are selling for prices that exceed expectations. After their emigration to France, the three artists did not return to live in Vietnam, “ which makes their works extremely rare in local collections, thus increasing their market value ». Thus, in 2017, Lê Phô became the first Vietnamese artist to reach a million dollars for a work. During a sale at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, his work Family Life (1937-1939) was sold for $1.2 million.
Beyond auction houses, modern Vietnamese art is gradually going beyond the restricted circle of art lovers to attract a wider audience, particularly in museums. Thus, in 2021, the Ursulines museum in Mâcon organized a retrospective dedicated to Mai-Thu, while the Cernuschi museum in Paris is currently presenting a special exhibition dedicated to Lê Phô, Mai-Thu and Vu Cao Damuntil March 9, 2025.