b. 1907 - d. 2001

The Vietnamese painter Le Pho (1907 - 2001) was a prominent figure in Vietnamese modernism. Making his home in Paris and Vietnam, Le Pho embraced his heritage and developed his unique style based on a knowledge of Vietnamese portraiture, silk painting and lacquer work.

About Le Pho

• Name: Lê Ph?


• Alias: Le Pho


• Profession: Painter, b. 1907 - d. 2001


• Nationality: Vietnamese

Biography

Le Pho was a Vietnamese painter known for his technical skills, intricate compositions and modern interpretations of Southeast Asian art styles. Many of his paintings feature gardens, nudes and floral still life images, and some pieces have sold for over $2 million USD, including the ink-and-gouache on silk painting titled La famille dans le jardin (The Family in the Garden) and the three-panel painting Figures in a Garden, which sold via Sotheby’s in April 2023 and 2022 respectively.

Born in Hanoi, Vietnam, Le Pho attended the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Hanoi from 1925 to 1930. In Hanoi, his mentor, Professor Victor François Tardieu, named Le Pho among his top 10 Vietnamese students.

In 1931, Le Pho participated in the Paris Colonial Exposition, curating the exhibition of art from the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Hanoi, which marked a turning point in his career. He soon moved to France to attend the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris on a scholarship before returning to teach in Hanoi from 1932 to 1937.
After returning to France in 1937, Le Pho remained there until his death in 2001 at the age of 94.

Related Styles

• Contemporary Art


• Southeast Asian Art


• Still Life Painting


• Portrait Painting


• Landscape Painting

Highlights and Achievements

• Le Pho’s works are on permanent exhibit internationally, including in the Musée d’Art Moderne in Paris and the Oklahoma Arts Center.


• Multiple paintings by Le Pho sold at auction for over $2 million USD.

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