Le Pho (French/Vietnamese, 1907-2001)

Paintings

Who is painter Le Pho?

Le Pho was a 20th-century Vietnamese painter whose impressionist paintings early in his career largely came to be known as his Romanet period. These paintings were often nostalgic depictions of the Vietnamese landscape. Later, he would shift and develop a lusher, denser palette, creating works inspired by his native country but full of people, flowers, and family settings. These paintings, from his Findlay period, would find a large audience in the United States. Though Le Pho most often painted the Vietnamese landscapes of his youth, he continued to live in Paris from 1937 until his death in 2001.

Le Pho was a celebrated artist during his lifetime, no small feat for a Vietnamese artist in the largely euro-centric art community of the era. His work was featured in the aforementioned Findlay and Romanet Galleries, and he would tour a famous one-man show starting in 1938. This tour was international, starting in France, but continuing on to Morocco, Brussels, and eventually New York City. These days Le Pho’s work is in the collections of almost every major art museum in the world. He is a true one-of-a-kind artist.

What kind of art did Le Pho make?

Le Pho made Romanticist and Impressionistic paintings that often included nostalgic representations of his homeland of Vietnam. These paintings evolved over the course of Le Pho’s long career. At first, Pho’s work centered on mainly the landscape, trending toward an almost historical depiction of Vietnam. Later, during his Findlay period, he would evolve into including figures in his pieces, often women or families within the lush greenery of the Vietnamese landscape. His work is considered by many art critics to be the perfect synthesis between the Chinese painting techniques he had learned growing up with the post-impressionist aesthetic he developed while traveling Europe.

How did painter Le Pho get started?

Le Pho was born in 1907 in Vietnam. From an early age, he displayed a preternatural ability to paint and create beautiful works of art. Recognizing this, his family supported his artistic inclinations. He was one of the very first graduates of the Indochina Fine Arts College -- a French-built college in Vietnam. He left college in 1925 and moved to Paris to study at the Paris National College of Fine Arts while working for the French painter, Victor Tardieu. From there, he moved to Italy to continue his studies. A return trip to Ha Noi in 1932 led to him rediscovering the beauty of Vietnam -- providing inspiration for his work that would last the rest of his life.

How much are Le Pho paintings worth?

Le Pho’s paintings can be worth $20,000 on the low end to over $1,000,000 on the high end. This is because Le Pho has significant interest from art buyers all over the globe -- from China to New York City. It’s a testament to his universal appeal and talents. The most ever paid for a Le Pho painting at auction is $1,337,320 for the piece Nue (Nude) (1931) on May 26th, 2019. It is by no means an outlier, as of 2020, Le Pho has five paintings that have sold for $700,000 or more in the past six years.

Where to buy Le Pho paintings for sale?

See the works for sale below. Why buy from Heritage? Art buyers feel confident because our experts know the market and put careful valuations on the artwork for sale. We make the bidding process easier to help you expand your art collection.

How to value Le Pho paintings?

The best way to value art is to compare past auction prices for similar works. View past sale prices below. When you’re ready to sell, contact Heritage Auctions to request an auction estimate of the likely selling price at auction. If you need a formal written appraisal for estate planning or insurance, please contact our Appraisal Services Department.