On 7 November 2026, a remarkable lacquer painting by Vietnamese master Phạm Hậu (1903–1994) achieved €1.3 million at MILLON's “Légendes d'avenir – Vietnam Duplex Paris–Hanoi” auction, setting a new world auction record for the artist. Acquired in Vietnam in the 1950s, transported to France by sea in 1954 and preserved within a French family for generations, the monumental masterpiece is now returning to its country of origin.
A historic moment for Vietnamese art unfolded on 7 November 2026. During MILLON's international auction, connecting Paris and Hanoi, Les Rapides de Chợ Bờ (The Rapids of Chợ Bờ), an exceptional lacquer panel by Phạm Hậu, sold for €1.3 million, excluding VAT and shipping fees.
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Measuring 100 × 200 cm, the monumental work dates from around 1940 and exemplifies the extraordinary technical and artistic achievements of Vietnamese lacquer painting in the twentieth century.
Beyond its remarkable auction result, the painting carries an equally fascinating story: after more than seven decades in France, it is returning to Vietnam, reconnecting a significant work of Vietnamese artistic heritage with the landscape and cultural identity that inspired its creation.
Phạm Hậu: A Master of Vietnamese Lacquer Painting
Born in 1903, Phạm Hậu belongs to the generation of Vietnamese artists who transformed traditional lacquer craftsmanship into a sophisticated medium of modern fine art.
Associated with the École des Beaux-Arts de l'Indochine (Indochina College of Fine Arts), this generation developed a distinctive artistic language by combining traditional Vietnamese techniques with new approaches to composition, perspective, colour and representation.
Phạm Hậu became particularly renowned for his mastery of lacquer, a demanding medium requiring patience, technical precision and an intimate understanding of materials. His works frequently depict Vietnamese landscapes, villages, architecture and everyday life, translating familiar scenes into carefully constructed compositions of exceptional refinement.
His artistic practice demonstrates how lacquer could move beyond its traditional decorative applications to become an independent and expressive pictorial medium.
“Les Rapides de Chợ Bờ”: An Exploration of Colour, Light and Depth
Created around 1940, Les Rapides de Chợ Bờ is a striking example of Phạm Hậu's chromatic experimentation during this particularly important period of his career.
According to MILLON's catalogue description, the painting is distinguished by the remarkable depth of its blue tones. Subtle variations in colour interact with other hues, creating delicate contrasts and sophisticated effects of light.
The artist achieves this visual richness through the superimposition of multiple layers of lacquer and the combination of different pigments and materials. Rather than simply decorating the surface, colour becomes an essential element in constructing the image, defining its spatial relationships and establishing the overall balance of the composition.
The predominance of blue gives this particular panel a distinctive atmosphere and identity.
Its chromatic language reflects Phạm Hậu's willingness to explore the expressive possibilities of lacquer, experimenting with tonal relationships and the interaction between light, colour and material.
The work incorporates polychrome lacquer with highlights of gold, silver and crushed mother-of-pearl on a wooden panel. These materials, carefully integrated into the lacquer layers, contribute to the surface's complexity and visual depth.
Signed and bearing the artist's seal in the lower right corner, the painting measures 100 × 200 cm.
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An Extraordinary Provenance: From Vietnam to France in 1954
Perhaps one of the most remarkable aspects of this painting is its documented provenance, which tells a story spanning more than seven decades.
According to MILLON's catalogue, the artwork was acquired in Vietnam during the 1950s by Captain R.L. (1921–2003), a former volunteer serviceman who had joined the French military in 1939 and subsequently served within the Directorate of Engineering Works (Direction des Travaux du Génie).
He arrived in Saigon in January 1954 before being assigned to Hanoi, where he held several responsibilities, including Director of New Construction and Fortifications.
During his posting in Hanoi between 1953 and 1956, he acquired the painting. It was subsequently transported to France by sea in 1954, arriving at the port of Marseille.
©MILLON
From that moment onwards, the artwork remained in the same French family, passed down through direct inheritance across successive generations.
This exceptional continuity of ownership provides an unusually compelling provenance narrative. The painting was preserved in a private French collection for more than 70 years, away from the international art market, before being presented at MILLON's November 2026 auction.
Its sale marks the end of one chapter in its history and the beginning of another.
A Return to Vietnam: Reconnecting Art with Its Homeland
The return of Les Rapides de Chợ Bờ to Vietnam gives this auction result a significance extending far beyond its financial value.
During the twentieth century, numerous Vietnamese artworks entered private collections in France and other countries, reflecting the complex historical, cultural and political exchanges between Vietnam and Europe.
Many of these works have remained outside Vietnam for decades, sometimes passing through several generations of collectors without being publicly exhibited.
The return of Phạm Hậu's painting is therefore particularly meaningful. Originally created by a Vietnamese artist, inspired by a Vietnamese landscape and acquired in Vietnam during the 1950s, the work is now returning to the country after a long journey abroad.
It represents a tangible connection between Vietnamese artistic heritage, its international collecting history and the renewed interest of contemporary Vietnamese collectors.
A €1.3 Million Record: A New Chapter for Vietnamese Art on the International Market
The €1.3 million result achieved at MILLON's Paris–Hanoi auction represents a major milestone in the international recognition of Phạm Hậu and Vietnamese lacquer painting.
It also sends a significant signal about the growing visibility of Vietnamese modern art within the global art market.
For decades, artists associated with the Indochina College of Fine Arts have occupied an important place in the history of modern Asian art. Yet the international recognition of Vietnamese artists remains an evolving story, with increasing attention from collectors, auction houses, museums and cultural institutions.
The record achieved by Les Rapides de Chợ Bờ highlights several factors that contribute to the importance of an artwork: the artist's historical position, the quality and rarity of the work, its artistic experimentation, its dimensions and, importantly, its documented provenance.
It also invites renewed interest in other Vietnamese modern masters, including Lê Phổ, Mai Trung Thứ, Vũ Cao Đàm, Nguyễn Phan Chánh and Lê Quốc Lộc.
For collectors and art professionals, this result is a reminder that Vietnamese lacquer painting deserves to be understood not merely as a regional decorative tradition, but as a major contribution to the history of modern Asian art.
Asian Art Bridge: Connecting Vietnamese Art with the World
At Asian Art Bridge, we believe that the international recognition of Vietnamese artists must go hand in hand with deeper historical understanding, responsible collecting and the preservation of cultural heritage.
The story of Phạm Hậu's Les Rapides de Chợ Bờ perfectly illustrates this mission.
An exceptional work created in Vietnam around 1940, acquired by a French collector in the 1950s, preserved by his family for generations and now returning to its homeland following a record-breaking auction: its journey is a testament to the enduring cultural significance of Vietnamese art.
Beyond the €1.3 million result, this is a story about heritage, memory and reconnection.
More than 70 years after leaving Vietnam, a masterpiece by Phạm Hậu is finally coming home.