French-based auction house, Aguttes will be hosting an auction dedicated to Asian artists on 14 March, 2022. Titled, “Asian Painters – Major Works” the event is in its 32nd edition and the focus for this round of sales is on artworks by Vietnamese artists. Contributing to the collection of artworks to be auctioned off is Dr D., an avid collector of paintings by Vietnamese artists.

For this auction, Aguettes has once again brought together previously unseen paintings by major Asian artists. The highlights include: Trần Tấn Lộc, Mai Trung Thứ, Lê Phổ and Vũ Cao Đàm

Below is a quick introduction of the artists:

Trần Tấn Lộc (1906-1968) 

The artist’s paintings often depicted young ladies and he painted them because he wanted to illustrate the old Asian tradition of portraying female beauties in their toilette. An example is the artwork titled, “Jeune élégante se coiffant”. This artwork is the only work known to date that was done by the artist in ink and colour on silk. This large silk painting was first bought by a collector in the 1950s when he moved over to France from Vietnam.

Mai Trung Thứ (1906-1980)

Mai Trung Thứ is a Vietnamese painter who settled for France in the late 1930s. Graduated with a first-class accreditation from Ecole des Beaux-Arts d’Indochine, the artist only claimed international recognition 10 years ago by the series of sales hosted by Aguttes. Similar to Trần Tấn Lộc, Mai Trung Thứ pays tribute to the sensuality of the women of his native country by making them one of his favourite themes.

Aside from capturing female beauty, Mai Trung Thứ was also interested in expressing the bond between different generations in his paintings. Familial ties are an important facet in Asian cultures and this is best represented in his art piece called, “L’école”.

Other works

Lê Phổ (1907-2001)

A fellow graduate from Ecole des Beaux-Arts d’Indochine, Lê Phổ’s artworks are the amalgamation of the traditional silk painting technique of Vietnam and the impressionist influences of France. For the upcoming auction, two of his paintings will go under the hammer. These were acquired by a collector who had forged a long relationship Lê Phổ and his wife when he first got to Paris in the 1950s. The paintings were kept as a souvenir of the strong ties he had with the artist.

Other works

Vu Cao Dàm (1908 – 2000)

Vu Cao Dàm was trained as an artist in Hanoi and moved to France just before the Second World War. Inspired by European Christian mother-and-child paintings, the artist recreated the style in similar ways. This is seen in his painting called, “Maternité” which illustrates the gentleness of a mother and her child.

Other works

For more information about Asian Painters – Major Works, click here.

For more art reads, click here.