From June 5 to 14, 2025 in Paris
From June 11 to 13, 2025 at Aguttes

Conferences, exhibitions, auctions, publications, book signings... were the order of the day at Aguttes, as Asia took center stage at the eighth edition of ‘Printemps Asiatique’ (Asian Spring), held in Paris from June 5 to 14. Here's a look back at the success of a rich program.

See video

Aesthetics of the sacred in East Asia - Wednesday, June 11

This first conference was led by Clémentine Guyot, head of the Aguttes Asian Arts department, and her expert, Marine Bassal-Biron. Supporting their talk with an exceptional presentation of little-known sculptures in private hands, they introduced the figure of the Buddha, the Perfect Being in his absolute essence, and described various cultural appropriations of his representation.

To mark the occasion, a catalogue has been published, illuminating this different aesthetics and illustrated by these previously unpublished testimonials. It is on sale at Aguttes in Neuilly-sur-Seine.


« Aesthetics of the Sacred in Eastern Asia », June 11, 2025, Printemps asiatique - Aguttes.
From left to right: Clémentine Guyot, Director of the Asian Art Department and Marine Bassal-Biron, Aguttes expert

This conference was held in conjunction with the exhibition preceding the Asian Arts sale on June 12, 2025. It was rewarded by a fine auction with the sale of a Sino-Tibetan gilt bronze from the Qing dynasty (18th century), which fetched €314,880 incl. VAT, multiplying its low estimate by 10.


Lot 98 – Sino-Tibetain dynastie Qing, 18th century
Gilded bronze statue of Shakyamuni, the Buddha seated in vajrasana on a double lotiform base with richly worked petals, his right hand in bhumiparshamudra,
the left hand resting in dhyanamudra on the legs. He is dressed in a dhoti, finely incised with geometric motifs, that reaches up to his torso.

Alix Aymé, her research into lacquer work and her role at the Indochina School of Fine Arts: from a craft to an art in its own right - Wednesday, June 11

Author Werner Gagneron, accompanying his talk with readings of extracts from unpublished writings, presented the life and work of French artist-explorer Alix Aymé, active in Asia, and more particularly in Indochina between 1920 and 1946.

The talk was followed by a book signing to mark the recent publication of her book Alix Aymé, une passion indochinoise by Chemins de tr@verse.

The book is available from Aguttes.


« Alix Aymé, her research into lacquer work and her role at the Indochina School of Fine Arts: from a craft to an art in its own right », June 11, 2025, ‘Printemps Asiatique’ - Aguttes.
From left to right: Charlotte Aguttes-Reynier, expert in modern Asian art, and Werner Gagneron, author of Alix Aymé, une passion indochinoise

Movie night: The Revival of Modern Art in Indochina - Thursday June 12

Charlotte Aguttes-Reynier, author of the reference work Modern Art in Indochina, likes to bring together the descendants of painters who played an important role in the Revival of Modern Art in Indochina, in order to enrich our knowledge of a period that is still too little known. The evening of June 12 was the occasion for the projection of a best of of various exchanges held in October 2024 in Neuilly-sur-Seine and in January 2025 in Hanoi.

These symposia will soon be available online and in free access. The book is available from Aguttes.


Movie night June 12, 2025, ‘Printemps Asiatique’ - Aguttes

The art of lacquerware at the 1925 International Decorative Arts Exhibition and in Hanoi - Friday June 13

The ‘Printemps Asiatique’ program at Aguttes came to a close with a symposium celebrating a double centenary: that of the 1925 International Decorative Arts Exhibition and that of the opening of the Indochina School of Fine Arts that same year. Discussions focused in particular on the place of the lacquer technique during this period, and its evolution from a craft to an art in its own right, particularly within the Art Deco movement.

The symposium was divided into four parts:

  • Emmanuel Bréon, President of Art Déco of France, honorary chief curator, creator and former director of the Musée des années 30 Boulogne-Billancourt, presented the art of lacquer in 1925, and in particular at the 1925 International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts in Paris.

  • Art historian Kim Frédérick enlightened an attentive audience on Indochina's participation in this major exhibition and presented the lacquer craftsmanship on display in the Indochina pavilion.

  • Drawing on a presentation written by Laëtitia Ferreira, Head of Architectural Conservation at the Palais de la Porte Dorée (unavailable at the last minute), Jessica Remy-Catanese, Director of the Art Deco & Design Department at Aguttes, described the scope of Jean Dunand's work, particularly in the 1920s, his ‘salon des laques’ at the Palais de la Porte Dorée and the large panels that then decorated the famous liners.

  • In conclusion, Charlotte Aguttes-Reynier, expert in Modern Asian Art and director of the Fine Arts and Asian Arts division, presented a magnificent, previously unseen screen by Lê Phổ, to illustrate her point about the revival of lacquer art at the Indochina School of Fine Arts.

« The International Exhibition of Decorative Arts of 1925 and its fruits: the art of lacquerware at the Indochina School of Fine Arts » June 13, 2025, ‘Printemps Asiatique’ - Aguttes.

Left: Emmanuel Bréon presenting « The Chinese pavilion and the art deco aesthetic in China » and Kim Frédérick standing by to describe « The lacquer craft at the Indochina pavilion and the 1925 Exhibition ».

Right: Charlotte Aguttes-Reynier with « The revival of lacquer art at the Indochina School of Fine Arts » and Jessica Remy-Catanese for « The Palais de la Porte Dorée and Jean Dunand's lacquer salon ».

Asia at Aguttes

On May 13, 2025, at its 47th “Asian Painters” sale, our auction house offered Le bain (lot 9), an ink, gouache and colors on silk by Lê Phổ (1907-2001), marking the artist's 3rd world record in Neuilly-sur-Seine. At the end of a breathless auction battle, over 2 million euros were fetched on May 13, 2025, for this important figure of the Indochina School of Fine Arts.

« After more than 10 years of bringing modern Asian art to light, 46 sales already organized and more than 155 works by Lê Phổ appraised and presented for sale, I marveled at the recent discovery of this silk. In April, I was able to defend it by traveling to Singapore and Indonesia. We accompanied it with tailor-made work and a richly documented catalog. The buyers rewarded our efforts by offering this remarkable work a 40-minute auction. Sold for over 2 million euros, Le bain quadrupled its low estimate, a remarkable feat given its reasonable size. This work becomes the artist's 3rd world record »
— Charlotte Aguttes-Reynier, expert, associate director in charge of the Fine & Asian Arts division

Lot 9 - Lê Phổ (1907-2001)
Le bain, circa 1938
Ink, gouache and colors on silk, signed upper left
61 x 45.5 cm
Sold for €2,022,959 on May 13, 2025 in Neuilly-sur-Seine.

In 2024, Asia at our auction house, with its ten dedicated auctions, totaled nearly 15 million euros. The historic leader in the Asian Painters section, we are particularly active in the defense of modern Vietnamese and Chinese artists. Our family-run French auction house is also actively involved in highlighting more traditional arts, as demonstrated at the end of the year by the sale of a Guanyin for €988,000, ranked as the highest bid recorded for Asian sculptures in the world in 2024 (in the ranking published by Cans magazine, February 2025, p.137).

« The December 4, 2024 auction of this exceptional Guanyin from the Song dynasty (960-1279) for €988,000 illustrates the dynamism of international buyers eager for exceptional pieces and confident in our expertise. Entrusted by a private collector from Neuilly, its result confirms our auction house's position as a key player in this demanding market. »
— Clémentine Guyot, Director of the Asian Art Department


Lot 112 - China Song dynasty (960-1279)
Rare and important wooden statue of Guanyin
Sold €988,000, December 4, 2024 at Neuilly-sur-Seine.

Since 2014, Aguttes has been shedding remarkable light on the work of painters who, at the beginning of the 20th century, received dual Oriental and Western instruction. In February 2024, as the Indochina School of Fine Arts celebrates its centenary, expert Charlotte Aguttes-Reynier published Modern Art in Indochina, published by In fine éditions d'art. This publication, the first to offer a synthesis of the role of this establishment in artistic creation, unveils this art, neglected for 70 years. In recent years, works by artists from this institution have regularly set auction records. Over the past two years, the institution has also organized and hosted several round-table discussions and conferences in Neuilly-sur-Seine (Paris) and Hanoi.

Upcoming sales in preparation

Asian Painters: China & Vietnam
Tuesday, September 9, 2025

Asian Arts
Wednesday, September 10, 2025