Henri Mège

Appraisal and market value of Henri Mège (1904–1984)

Born on November 29, 1904, in Romans, Henri Mège was introduced to painting at a very young age by his mother, Isabelle Mège.
After moving to Chambéry in 1918, Henri Mège stood out as early as high school for his caricatures of teachers and befriended the painter Lucien Poignant as well as André Artigue’s son.

In 1931, he moved to French Indochina, where he pursued his military career for nearly twenty-five years. Assigned to command indigenous troops, he frequented the Vietnamese imperial court, met Bảo Đại, and became friends with the painter Mai-Thu. The imperial palace offered him the positions of equerry to the emperor and commander of the imperial guard.

This extended stay in the Far East had a profound influence on his work. Henri Mège depicted the landscapes of Vietnam, the lush vegetation, waterways, and traditional boats. His painting gradually incorporated Indochinese aesthetic influences, evident in his compositions, subjects, and treatment of light. This immersion was also personal, as he married a grandniece of the last viceroy of Tonkin.

Taken prisoner by the Japanese in 1940, he was later appointed professor in Saigon from 1950 to 1956. Upon his return to Chambéry, he devoted himself entirely to painting, exhibiting notably at the Mollens Gallery and becoming a member of the Société Savoisienne des Beaux-Arts.

How can you recognize a work by Henri Mège ?

As a traveling artist, his work is recognizable by its color palette, which often features subtle shades of green and yellow. He sometimes enhances his compositions with brighter accents, using red for flowers or rooftops. Most of his paintings are daytime landscapes, though he does occasionally paint nightscapes. An admirer of François Cachoud, he also experimented with moonlit scenes, demonstrating the richness and diversity of his artistic world.

The poetic quality of his landscapes is often enhanced by the complete absence of human figures or, when they do appear, by anonymous, non-individualized figures, lending his compositions a universal and timeless quality.

Henri Mège and the art market: the artist’s market value

The prices of Henri Mège’s works on the art market vary depending on the specific pieces and techniques used by the artist, including oil paintings as well as his drawings and watercolors.

In today’s art market, it is the works inspired by his travels that attract the most interest from collectors.

His compositions inspired by Indochina, a region the artist was particularly fond of, hold a special place, both for their documentary value and for their colorful and delicate aesthetic. Landscapes are the most sought-after subjects in his body of work.

Spotlight on Henri Mège’s works sold at Aguttes

Matin sur les bords de la rivière à Siem Reap (Cambodia), 1952, oil on panel, 46 x 60.5 cm, sold for €14,300.

Auctioning a work by Henri Mège

Charlotte Aguttes-Reynier, author of the book Le renouveau de l'art moderne en Indochine 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 Henri Mège.