The cool, gentle autumn has come to its peak. Hà Nội is radiant with golden sunshine, rustling with breezes, the sky is high and clear, white clouds like cotton, floating, decorating the deep blue sky, the air is light, people’s hearts are also softer, more leisurely in every word and gesture. On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Liberation of the Capital (October 10, 1954 – October 10, 2024), Hoàn Kiếm Lake area have many works representing typical architecture bearing the mark of Hà Nội such as the Gates, Long Biên Bridge, Đồng Xuân Market…
And near to that is Ngô Quyền Street, where the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hà Nội Hotel (123 years old) is located, on October 12, 2024, it will be the place to live broadcast the auction titled “Legends from Indochina Fine Arts College” by Millon Auction House. Mr. Alexandre Millon – President of Millon Auction House France – will personally be present as a direct connection between the two ends of Paris and Hà Nội. Nearly 60 selected works will be auctioned (in France) which are being awaited by art lovers and collectors.
In addition to the names of artists living abroad such as Lê Phổ, Mai Trung Thứ, Vũ Cao Đàm, Trần Phúc Duyên, Jean Võ Lăng, Lê Bá Đảng, Trần Văn Thọ, there are also famous artists in the country such as Tô Ngọc Vân, Phạm Hậu, Nguyễn Tường Lân, Lương Xuân Nhị, Trần Bình Lộc, Tôn Thất Đào, Hoàng Lập Ngôn, Nguyễn Tư Nghiêm, Nguyễn Huyến, Đinh Minh, Nguyễn Thế Khang, Nguyễn Tiến Trinh, Lưu Công Nhân, Mai Long…
LÊ PHỔ (1907-2001)
The present from Mother
Date: Circa 1935-1945
Medium: Ink and colour on silk
Dimensions: 45,1 x 61 cm
Provenance: Purchased at a gallery in Paris around 1940. The grandfather passed it on to his grandchildren. The grandchildren moved to America and brought the painting.
Estimate: 200 000 € – 300 000 €
In the auction, in addition to two outstanding silk works – “The present from Mother” and “Lady with the parrot” which are among the best in Lê Phổ’s career, there are also valuable and rare paintings. We can mention “Youth”, silk, 1935 by Nguyễn Tường Lân, the work was exhibited in 1936 at SADEAI, Hà Nội, with a starting price that could not be better. This painting will probably reach much higher prices. The work “Hạ Long waterfront”, 1941, gouache by Trần Bình Lộc, created before he went to Cambodia to teach with painter Nguyễn Văn Quế. Nguyễn Tường Lân and Trần Bình Lộc both passed away early, so their works for posterity are not many. Adding their names and works to the collection is something to consider. In addition there is also “Summer scent”, 1948, watercolor, Chinese ink on paper by Phạm Hậu, which is also a work of rarely seen material by him on auction blocks. The name of Nguyễn Tường Tam is also present with the color woodcut “The advice” with a good estimate price, which is also a good choice. The woodcut “President Hồ Chí Minh working at Bắc Bộ Phủ” with a good estimate is also a choice to enrich personal collections.
NGUYỄN TƯỜNG LÂN (1906-1946)
“Youth”, circa 1935
Ink and colour on silk
Signed “NT Lan” and the artist’s seal in the lower right corner
Framed under glass, 58,5 × 46 cm
Provenance: Private collection, South America
Exhibition: SADEAI (Association for the Promotion of Arts and Industry of Annam) 1936
Estimate: 30 000 € – 40 000 €
TRẦN BÌNH LỘC (1914-1941)
“Hạ Long waterfront”, 1941
Gouache on paper
Signed and dated in the lower right corner
34 × 48,8 cm
Estimate: 4 000 € – 6 000 €
LÊ PHỔ (1907-2001), “Lady and the parrot”, circa 1938
Ink and colour on silk
Signed and sealed in the upper right corner, titled and numbered “28” at the back
38 × 31 cm
Provenance: Private collection, France, passed to the descendants
Estimate: 200 000 € – 300 000 €
Among the professors and lecturers of Indochina Fine Arts College, Joseph Inguimberty and Alix Aymé were two artists who regularly had paintings in Vietnamese art auctions. Professor Inguimberty’s painting “A woman in the rice field”, 1928, created in the first 3 years since he arrived in Việt Nam (1925) is a beautiful, large-scale, valuable painting. Meanwhile, “Market scene in Hà Nội”, around 1930, oil on canvas (bought by the Angenot family on the occasion of the Hà Nội Fair, most likely in 1938) is one of Alix’s rare oil paintings with the theme of Hà Nội. The vibrant still life paintings with soft estimated prices by Lê Phổ or the elegant portrait of a young woman by Vũ Cao Đàm, the happy family by Mai Trung Thứ or the “Reflection by the river” lacquer painting by Trần Phúc Duyên, a few choices for the name of Lương Xuân Nhị… are also works that should be of interest. The soft, eye-catching silk painting “Spring trip” by Lê Văn Xương appeared in 2016 at Lý Thị Auction House, and now reappears, it will probably also be favored by art lovers.
JOSEPH INGUIMBERTY (1896-1971)
“A woman on the rice field”, 1928
Oil on canvas
Signed and dated in the lower right corner
110 × 120 cm
Provenance: Private collection, France, passed through generations.
Estimate: 60 000 € – 80 000 €
ALIX AYMÉ (1894-1989)
“Market scene in Hà Nội”, circa 1930
Oil
Signed in the lower right corner
48 × 60 cm
Provenance: Private collection, Lyon, purchased by Angenot family on a fair in Hà Nội, most likely in 1938
Estimate: 40 000 € – 60 000 €
MAI TRUNG THỨ (1906-1980)
“Admiring”, 1956
Ink and colour on silk
Signed, sealed and dated in lower right corner
20 × 18 cm
Provenance: Purchased in the 1950s on the Paris art market by Jean Widhoff, a lieutenant in the French army and businessman; passed down through the generations.
Estimate: 40 000 € – 60 000 €
VŨ CAO ĐÀM (1908-2000)
“The pink scarf”, circa 1950
Ink and watercolor on silk, mounted on cardboard
Signed in the lower right corner
33,5 × 24 cm
Estimate: 60 000 € – 80 000 €
TRẦN PHÚC DUYÊN (1923-1993)
“Reflection of the river”, 1954
Five lacquer panels
97 × 163 cm
Estimate: 100 000 € – 150 000 €
Basically, in international auctions of Vietnamese paintings, Nguyễn Tư Nghiêm’s works are often picked up and put down because collectors have to consider of authenticities. In this auction of Millon, the “Young woman” lacquer painting by Nguyễn Tư Nghiêm was printed in two books in 1997 and 2005 – when the artist was living, which is a good proof of authenticity. The good estimated price is also an attractive point. Hopefully, the painting will belong to a good collection.
NGUYỄN TƯ NGHIÊM (1918-2016)
“A young woman”
Lacquer
67 × 50 cm
Provenance: The work belongs to an artist family in Hà Nội, passed down to descendants; Published in the book “Painters of Indochina Fine Arts College” by author Quang Phòng, Fine Art Publishing House in 1997; Published in the book “Vietnamese lacquer painting”, Fine Arts Publishing House in 2005.
Estimate: 50 000 € – 60 000 €
LÊ VĂN XƯƠNG (1917-1988)
“Spring trip”, 1950
Ink and watercolour on silk
Signed and dated in the lower right corner
25 × 38 cm
Provenance: Collection of Ms Lê Y Lan, daughter of the artist
Estimate: 15 000 € – 20 000 €
This is the “mid-season” of auctions around the world, with special auctions on Asian Art in general and Vietnamese Art in particular taking place continuously in September, October and November. The unexpected boom in transactions must come from the beauty, rarity and value of the work. This is a time of nerves for auction houses when organizing sales. Any reputable organization will receive commissions for valuable works that are attractive to collectors. Organizing a professional auction, introducing the work with meticulous research, rich forms of expression, combined with clear traceability of provenance are all plus points for the auction.
And we all wait for Millon’s auction on October 12 with good results.
For more information, please contact:
- Ta Hsi CHANG
- tchang@millon.com
- +33 1 47 27 93 29
Hotline Millon Việt Nam +84 706430688
Email: info@millon-vietnam.com
Written by Viet Art View
