History of French Colonialism in Asia

The roughly 60 years of French colonization in Asia started in the late 1880s and included today's countries Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, which formed the so-called Indochina. The French reasons to colonize these areas were strongly motivated by economic factors, such as getting access to raw materials and cheap labour. They justified the colonization through their own principle ”mission civilisatrice” whose purpose was to introduce undeveloped countries to modern political ideas, new technologies and social reforms. The outcomes for the indigenous people did not lead to social improvement, instead they were exploited, exposed to brutality and dispossession of their homes. The political power was governed by the French through the already existent leaders as to minimize local resistance.

After decades of French colonial oppression, Japan occupied Indochina during the second world war. But after the Japanese defeat in 1945, nationalist movements led by Ho Chi Minh grew in Vietnam, thus declaring its independence. But Frances’ attempt in regaining control over the region along with the independence movements, started the first Indochina war 1946. After eight years fighting, France was defeated at the battle of Dien Bien Phu, and the Geneva Accords 1954 signed the independence of Cambodia, Laos, and the division between north and south Vietnam. The Geneva Accords therefore marked an end to France's colonialism in Indochina.

The French colonization made big impacts on infrastructure, language and culture, but also on art techniques and the influence of romantic realism. Furthermore we’re going to dig deeper into what kind of French influences changed Vietnamese art, and if it has impacted today's contemporary art.

The influence of French culture in the historical Indochina will limit its comparison to Vietnamese art. See the following links for more information regarding French impact in Cambodian art and in Laos art.

The Vietnamese traditional art before French Colonialism

Vietnamese traditional art was influenced both by the country’s cultural heritage, Buddhist and Confucianist beliefs as well as traditions from China who ruled Vietnam for centuries. The country has a long tradition of pottery making, sculptures and ceramics which has later been discovered in archeological excavations. The famous Dong Son drums during the bronze casting era shows how their special pottery decorating techniques were transformed to decorate bronze items. Already the decorations told a lot about Vietnamese culture since the designs portrayed images of animals and daily life, as well as soldiers and conflicts.

During the centuries of Chinese rule over Vietnam a lot of Chinese techniques influenced the arts

of ceramics and pottery. The manufacturing was upgraded with the potter’s wheel and the yellow and white coated glazes changed the designs of the pottery and porcelain. After Vietnam became independent from China, Vietnamese art such as ceramics and poetry flourished during the dynasties to come. Especially famous were the white-and-blue porcelain during the Nguyen Dynasties, which continued to be significant for Vietnamese art up until today.

The influence on art during French Colonisation of Vietnam

The French academic and painter Victor Tardieu founded the Ecole des Beaux-Arts de l'Indochine (EBAI) whose purpose was to train Vietnamese artists in European methodologies and classical styles. It introduced new techniques and aesthetics such as oil paintings, outdoor motifs style en plein air and impressionism development, and was able to use French processes with their traditional materials like lacquer painting and silk paintings. The students therefore were able to integrate classical Vietnamese traditions with the newer French artistic styles, creating a new kind of modern Vietnamese art. The famous Vietnamese artist Tô Ngọc Vân was one of the first to embrace oil painting and combine his paintings with western aesthetic techniques and his own oriental traditions.

The famous Vietnamese artist Tô Ngọc Vân was one of the first to embrace oil painting and combine his paintings with western aesthetic techniques and his own oriental traditions. See the oilpainting “Two women and a child” by Tô Ngọc Vân from 1944;

One of the most beautiful paintings by To Ngoc Van is “Two girls and a baby” which became the National Treasure in 2014. In the painting, the artist chose the scene which is a cozy corner in the house. The older sister in yellow shirt sitting gracefully on the bamboo pallet. The younger sister dressed in white with a restless sitting position. She needs advice from her sister for her first love. The scene of the ancient Vietnamese family appears in every detail of the landscape and the people.

"Two girls and a child", painter To Ngoc Van, 1944, Oil on canvas

Lê Phổ is a poignant representation of Vietnam's natural beauty during a time of profound transformation under French colonial rule. The serenity hills and architectural elements subtly reflect the French colonial presence, with roads and structures that symbolize the imposition of foreign influence on Vietnamese landscapes.

While Lê Phổ trained in France and adopted Western painting techniques, his work remained deeply rooted in Vietnamese culture, emphasizing local landscapes and traditions. This blending of artistic styles mirrors the broader cultural exchange and tensions of the colonial period, as Vietnamese identity was redefined in the face of French cultural and political domination. The painting serves as both a celebration of Vietnam's enduring heritage and a subtle critique of the changes wrought by colonialism.

Lê Phổ's Hillside Serenity (1937)

"A depiction of a Vietnamese soldier symbolizing resilience and national identity during times of conflict and change."

Portrait of a Soldier, Nguyễn Tư Nghiêm, Circa 1960s

Can French influences still be seen in Vietnamese contemporary art?

Contemporary Vietnamese art has its own distinction integrated with influences not only from France, but from a lot of historical events that have made an impact on the country. For a deeper understanding on how the art was impacted by the Vietnam war, revolutionary ideas, communist period and the influence on the US, please see this link. But the French influence made an impact and remained one of several mainstays in Vietnamese art, due to the introduction of new painting techniques, oil as a material, encouragement to further develop its traditional methods such as the widely known white-and-blue pottery, lacquer methods and silk paintings. Vietnamese culture is based on a beautiful mix of Eastern methods and Asian values, where especially Buddhist values like respect, modesty and propriety permeate their art. The mix of ancestral and contemporary techniques from East and West is what characterises Vietnamese art.

See the silk painting “Oriental Garden 04” by Vu Dinh Tuan. The traditional silk technique was to paint on home made rice paper, where today there’s a quantity of different sorts and qualities of silk.

How would the art have developed if it were not for French colonialism? Well, no one knows but a qualified guess would suggest that it would first and foremost continue to be influenced by the nearby art influences of China and the rest of Southeast Asia. And furthermore, with the result of today’s globalisation, we can assume that influences from other continents would have made its way to Vietnamese art sooner or later.

“Oriental Garden 04” by Vu Dinh Tuan

Watch the Video to Explore More

Explore the rich history and cultural impact of Vietnamese modernism through this insightful video. Discover how art intertwines with identity and resilience.