The painting will go on display at the "Arts of Asia" exhibition run by Sotheby’s in Paris from June 8 to 13 that features a rich collection of paintings, ceramics, sculptures, and jade from across Asia.

The oil-on-canvas piece measuring 90.5 x 102.5cm was completed in 1930 when Chanh graduated from the first class of the Indochina Fine Arts School in Hanoi.

It portrays two women of modest means in a candid moment rooted in earthy tones. This composition, reflecting the painter’s focus on authentic action through aesthetic novelty, offers viewers a poignant glimpse into everyday life during the early 20th-century in Vietnam, according to Sotheby’s.

Chanh’s artwork is being offered by Sotheby's with an estimated high price of EUR900,000.

Nguyen Phan Chanh was born in 1892 in the central province of Ha Tinh. He began his study in Hue and then moved to study in Hanoi in 1925 as part of the first cohort of students at the newly established École des Beaux-Arts de l’Indochine, alongside other Vietnamese painters such as Mai Trung Thu and Le Pho.

Moving forward to 1929, his work was displayed at the Salon de l'art colonial exhibition in Paris, marking an important milestone in his career.

In total, he created over 170 pieces and some were auctioned at high prices. At Christie’s auction in 2020, his piece “Những cô thợ may” was valued at US$1.39 million.