La Revue

A key artist and craftsman of 20th century Vietnam, Phạm Hậu single-handedly embodies the artistic revival of lacquerware, long considered a craft. The master lacquerer, a fervent guardian of Vietnamese traditions, has contributed to its recognition as a major art. A remarkable set of lacquerware by Phạm Hậu will be presented during The Asia Week at Aguttes, including one with similarities to the one that sold for 833,000 euros at Aguttes on June 7, 2021. Composed this time of three panels and estimated in the catalog reasonably at €350,000 - €500,000, the version offered in November reveals an idyllic location, a bay similar to Halong, which has repeatedly inspired the artist. Phạm Hậu, a great admirer of Vietnam's natural riches, has never ceased to represent the landscapes surrounding it. Paysage aux jonques offers an innovative lacquer treatment, which brings more relief and depth. The master uses new colors such as blue lagoon, pink and green, and extends this modernity through a revision of the lacquer technique itself. In order to create more depth and a new volume, he chose to combine the technique of painting with that of sculpture. This exceptional mastery allowed him to go beyond the precepts of traditional lacquerware and to contribute to the influence of this art throughout his country and the world.

Lacquer painting is a traditional art in Vietnam that dates back to the 15th century. It is inseparable from the cultural history of the country. Its current popularity abroad owes much to the impulse of artists and teachers from the Hanoi School of Fine Arts such as Joseph Inguimberty, Alix Aymé, or Pham Hau. This generation of artists, politicized and proud of their origins, uses this art as an instrument for the diffusion and promotion of Vietnamese culture against Chinese and Western imperialism.