PARIS.- Following the success of their record breaking Asian art auction in June, Millon auction house will host their next auction Arts Du Vietnam this fall at the Hotel Drouot. Spearheaded by expert and Asian art specialist, Jean Gauchet, this is the first art auction featuring only Vietnamese fine art. Under Gauchet’s procuration, the sale boasts an impressive display of artistic traditions pre and post revolution. Highlighting ancient and modern works of art, the auction showcases over 200 rare artworks from private collections.. The exhibition features important imperial porcelain, remarkable lacquerware, woodcarvings, rare books, as well as a series of paintings from modernists Henri Mege, Vu Cao Dam, Nguyen Van Ro and Tran Huu Chat.

The auction exposes influential works of art during Vietnam’s historical and modern period, which have not only enriched the Vietnamese culture but have also shaped European artistic ethos. The extensive catalog will portray major artists of Vietnam; key innovations of Vietnamese folk arts and culture; while also conveying the collective memory and creative intricacies of the Vietnamese diaspora.

As the Vietnamese economy has exploded so has the interest in artworks from Vietnam. There has been a significant rise in interest for Vietnamese art during the past three decades, as the country’s economy opened to the Western market. The surmounting exposure of Vietnamese art has created a strong appreciation and demand from art enthusiasts and collectors worldwide.

Notable artworks in the sale include a “guestbook” including a sketch by Vietnamese artist, Vu Cao Dam (1908-2000) for the Les Palmiers restaurant in Saint Paul de Vence. This rare and unique treasure offers a glimpse into some of history’s most notable characters. Inside the book are are two sketched dedications from Marc Chagall, a page from George Braque, as well as photographs and personalized notes from the most famous actors, politicians and writers during the era. Vu Cao Dam is perhaps one of the most recognized artists of the modern Vietnamese art era. His artworks belong to the permanent collections of the Museums of Algiers, Beziers, Musee de la France d’Outre Mer and the Musee d’Art in Paris, as well as numerous private collections.

Included in the sale is a diptych lacquer panel signed by artist Nguyen Van Ro (1921-1997). The panels titled, Bambous (1955), exemplify the extraordinary detail and eloquence Vietnamese lacquerware masters during the period. Tran Huu Chat (1933-2018) has three works in the auction. He was a Vietnamese artist known for his carved lacquer paintings of village scenes. In his recent death, his work has become even more sought after by private collectors. A number of Chat’s works are held in the collections of the National Fine Arts Museum of Vietnam in Hanoi.

The auction also features a collection of paintings signed by French artist Joseph Inguimberty and Henri Mege (1904-1984). Mege was known for his “painting knife technique” and specialized in painting scenes from his travels in Vietnam and Southeast Asia. Many of Mege’s paintings depict the river and importance of trade along the rivers in Vietnam. The auction equally recognizes the more traditional artworks of historical Vietnam with an impressive display of blue and white porcelain.