André Maire

Appraisal and market value of André Maire (1898–1984)

From the age of 12, André Maire demonstrated a talent for drawing and attended classes offered by the City of Paris. He became a student of Émile Bernard and, in 1917, took classes with Devambez at the École des Beaux-Arts.   

On the advice of Émile Bernard, he was drafted to Indochina, where he served in the infantry while also teaching drawing at the Lycée Chasseloup-Laubat in Saigon. He discovered the Angkor site and produced numerous sketches and surveys that would be used to reconstruct the temple for the 1931 Exposition.

André Maire married Bernard’s daughter in 1920 and spent two years in Italy painting sepia-toned wash drawings of Venice, Trieste, and Rome. He returned in 1928 and settled in Semur-en-Auxois in 1930: his preference for large formats, architecture, perspectives, and slender figures was by then well established.

In 1938, he traveled to Egypt, India, and Ceylon, and in 1945 to Africa. He returned to Vietnam in 1948, where he remained until 1955 as a professor of drawing and modeling at the Saigon School of Architecture. His final journey took him to Madagascar.

How can you recognize a work by André Maire?   

The success of André Maire’s works lies in their retention of the character of sketchy, colorful notes jotted down on the spot in a travel journal, a spontaneity he manages to preserve even in his more elaborate and larger-scale compositions. Spirituality is ever-present in his drawings of monuments. His extensive body of work falls, on the one hand, within a decorative framework, in keeping with the tastes of his era (as evidenced by the furniture he painted for Jansen and Mercié) and, on the other hand, within a vision that could be described as “enlightened humanism.” A master of charcoal, his style combines architectural precision with luminous poetry. His main themes include depictions of the temples of Angkor as well as market scenes.  

André Maire and the art market: the artist’s market value

The prices of André Maire’s works on the art market vary depending on the specific pieces and the techniques used by the artist, including oil paintings, drawings, and gouaches.  

On the art market today, it is the works inspired by his travels that attract the most interest from collectors. His compositions inspired by Indochina, and more specifically by Laos and Vietnam, which the artist was particularly fond of, hold a special place, both for their documentary value and for their colorful and delicate aesthetic. Scenes of Vietnamese life, landscapes, and local figures are among the most sought-after subjects in his body of work.

Spotlight on André Maire’s works sold at Aguttes

Cornacs devant Hindh, oil on canvas, signed lower left, 160 x 180 cm, the artist’s second-highest world record, sold for €61,950.

Tolède, oil on canvas, signed lower left, 112 x 113 cm, sold for €17,850.

Auctioning a work by André Maire

Charlotte Aguttes-Reynier, author of the book The Revival of Modern Art in Indochina and an expert with Aguttes for over 15 years, offers her extensive knowledge of this movement and market to French and European sellers and buyers, primarily from Vietnam. She appraises objects and works, mostly previously unseen, including modern and contemporary paintings and sculptures. Our expert travels throughout France and Europe in collaboration with our regional representative offices.

You may also submit your appraisal request in advance of a meeting, along with a description, photos, and any available documents related to the work, using the online form or by emailing our expert directly.

As the long-standing leader in the market for Asian artists, Aguttes serves as a trusted third party for every private or professional seller, guaranteeing that they obtain the best price and achieve world records in a demanding market. A dedicated local team ensures final payment for each artwork, with the auction governed by French law. 

Aguttes’ Asian Painters department regularly holds auctions dedicated to major modern Vietnamese artists : Lê Phổ,  Nguyễn Phan Chánh, Mai Trung Thứ, Vũ Cao Đàm, Trần Văn Thọ, Phạm Hầu, and many others. The department organizes an average of four auctions dedicated to artists from the Indochina School of Fine Arts.

Contact our expert for a free appraisal of your work by André Maire.