Joseph Inguimberty (1896–1971): A French Master of Indochinese Modernism

Professor at the École des Beaux-Arts de l’Indochine (1925–1945)

Joseph Inguimberty was a French painter from Marseille, a central figure in the cultural dialogue between France and Vietnam during the colonial era.
He studied at the École Supérieure des Beaux-Arts de Marseille from 1910, then at the École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs de Paris in 1913.

In the early 1920s, he traveled across Europe and Belgium, painting scenes depicting workers and daily life, reflecting a sensitivity to realism and human effort.
In 1925, he was appointed professor of oil painting at the École des Beaux-Arts de l’Indochine in Hanoi, where he became one of the school’s most influential teachers. Fascinated by the temple decorations and lacquer techniques he discovered in Vietnam, he was instrumental in reviving and elevating lacquer painting as a fine art medium alongside artists such as Phạm Hầu, Nguyễn Gia Trí, and Hoàng Tích Chù.

How to recognize a work by Joseph Inguimberty

Inguimberty often painted en plein air, following the Impressionist tradition. His favorite subjects include landscapes of the Red River Delta, rice fields, and Tonkinese women, all rendered with elegant simplicity and luminous harmony.

Key stylistic traits:

• Simplified forms and flat areas of color applied with a brush or knife

• Dominant green and ochre tones, evoking the humid vibrancy of the Vietnamese countryside

• A painterly balance between realism and poetic atmosphere

• Compositions uniting humans, animals, and landscapes in the same tranquil rhythm

After returning to France in 1946, he settled in Menton, shifting his focus to Provençal landscapes, painting the calanques of Marseille, the hills of Menton, and the Alpilles with the same luminosity and serenity found in his Indochinese works.

Joseph Inguimberty on the art market: Artist’s value and estimates

The market for Joseph Inguimberty’s works continues to grow, driven by renewed interest in artists of the École des Beaux-Arts de l’Indochine.
His Indochinese-period paintings, especially from the 1920s to 1945, are particularly prized for their historic importance and documented provenance.

The most sought-after subjects are Indochinese landscapes, scenes of everyday life, and female nudes, where his mastery of composition and color reflects a subtle dialogue between Western realism and Eastern serenity.

Highlights of works sold at Aguttes

• Rizière, 1928, oil on canvas, signed and dated lower right, 73 × 100 cm — sold for €97,500

• Au bord de l’eau, 1933, oil on canvas, signed and dated lower left, 65 × 92 cm — sold for €31,800

Selling a work by Joseph Inguimberty

Charlotte Aguttes-Reynier, author of Le renouveau de l’art moderne en Indochine and Aguttes expert for over 15 years, offers her in-depth expertise in this artistic movement and its market.
She appraises mainly unpublished paintings and sculptures, both modern and contemporary, and conducts valuations throughout France and Europe with the support of Aguttes’ regional offices.

You can send your free and confidential valuation request including a description, photographs, and any related documentation via the online form or directly by email to our expert.

The department organizes four annual sales dedicated to artists of the École des Beaux-Arts de l’Indochine.

As a historical market leader for Asian painters, Aguttes guarantees each seller a trusted partnership ensuring optimal results and world-record prices within the secure framework of French auction law.

The Aguttes Asian Painters Department regularly holds sales dedicated to the great modern Vietnamese artists, including Lê Phổ, Nguyễn Phan Chánh, Mai Trung Thứ, Vũ Cao Đàm, Trần Văn Thọ, Phạm Hầu, and many others.

Contact our expert today to obtain a free valuation of your work by Joseph Inguimberty, and receive personalized guidance from appraisal to final sale.