Jean Bouchaud

Appraisal and Market Value of Jean Bouchaud (1891–1977)

Born into a family of painters in Nantes, Jean Bouchaud naturally turned to art, following in the footsteps of his three brothers.

Self-taught, he received no formal training. It was when he was drafted in 1914 that he created his first works. Drawn to travel from an early age, he discovered North Africa in 1921 thanks to a scholarship that allowed him to stay at the Villa Abd-el-Tif in Algiers. With the support of the painter Baschet and the sculptor Landowsky, he exhibited his work upon his return from Morocco.

In 1924, the Colonial Society of French Artists awarded him the Indochina Prize, paving the way for his travels to Southeast Asia, notably to Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. His career reached its peak in 1928 when he was awarded the gold medal at the Salon des Artistes Français for Laveuses cochinchinoises. These travel experiences, and more particularly his immersion in Vietnam, would have a lasting influence on his body of work.

Upon his return in 1927, Marshal Lyautey entrusted him with illustrating his Lettres du Tonkin and, subsequently, with the overall artistic direction of the paintings for the upcoming 1931 exhibition.

He set out once more, this time for Africa. In 1938, he received his second official commission for the 1939 New York World’s Fair, intended for the grand hall of the Palais de la France d’Outremer. At the outbreak of the war, he became a correspondent for L’Illustration and later the official painter of the armed forces.

He honed his talents as an interior designer on the luxury liners “Normandie,” “Carbet,” “Colombie,” and “Caraïbes”, a talent he honed until 1953, when he drew inspiration from his trip to Indochina to create an intriguing tapestry project for the Gobelins Manufactory.

How can you recognize a work by Jean Bouchaud ?

As a traveling artist, his work is recognizable by its exotic color palette, which draws parallels to Orientalism, a legacy of his fascination with and imagination of distant lands.

The appeal of Bouchaud’s watercolors lies in their retention of the character of sketched, colorful notes, captured on the spot in a travel journal, a spontaneity he manages to preserve even in his more elaborate and larger-scale compositions. His drawing is distinguished by the suppleness of his line, which at times outlines simplified forms in the style of the Nabis; the subtle tones of his colors, which excel in rendering the nuances of skin, fabrics, or variations in vegetation, against monochromatic backgrounds worthy of Gauguin, help create a harmonious atmosphere and lend his scenes a timeless quality. He often depicts a peaceful world where technological modernity is absent.

Jean Bouchaud and the art market: the artist’s market value

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

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 daily life, landscapes, and local figures are among the most sought-after subjects in his body of work.

Spotlight on Jean Bouchaud’s works sold at Aguttes

Pêcheurs au bord de la rivière des Parfums de Huế, circa 1928, watercolor and gouache on paper, 17 x 13.5 cm, sold for €3,674.

Alger, Place du Gouvernement, 1922, watercolor and gouache on paper, signed lower right, 20 x 15 cm, sold for €3,188.

Auctioning a work byJean Bouchaud

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 Jean Bouchaud.