Le Pho (1907-2001). Les dahlias. Oil on masonite. 25-1/4 x 19-1/2 inches (64.1 x 49.5 cm) (sight). Signed lower right: ...

Description

Le Pho (1907-2001)
Les dahlias
Oil on masonite
25-1/4 x 19-1/2 inches (64.1 x 49.5 cm) (sight)
Signed lower right: Le Pho
Inscribed on the reverse: Chicago Wally F. 15P Les Dahlias / No. 49

PROVENANCE:
Wally Findlay Galleries, Inc., Chicago, Illinois;
Private collection, Winnetka, Illinois, acquired from the above, 1968.

NOTE:
This lot is accompanied by the 1968 Wally Findlay invoice.

Exemplified in the present work, Le Pho's remarkable marriage of the Asian and European artistic traditions secured him a position as Vietnam's preeminent modernist, a legacy cemented in versatility and skill.

Born in Vietnam to a senior mandarin, Viceroy of Tonkin, Le Pho benefitted from early access to education, flourishing in the arts despite being orphaned at young age.

At 18, he entered the École Supérieure des Beaux-Arts d'Indochine in Hanoi. His instructor, Joseph Inguimberty, included French modernism in his teachings but stressed the importance of his student's Asian and Vietnamese identity, encouraging production of traditional works in lacquer or on silk. Pho, allergic to lacquer, ultimately produced few works in the medium, instead favoring watercolors done in the linear style of the Chinese masters.

Pho made his first sojourn to Paris in 1931, assisting his mentor and director of the Hanoi École, Victor Tardieu, in his role as artistic director of the Angkor Pavilion at the Colonial Exposition. Pho remained in Paris for two years after joining the École des Beaux-Arts, exploring the continent and studying the European masters.

After a two-year homecoming in Vietnam, Pho again returned to Paris in 1937, this time to as a juror for the International Exposition. In the following years, the well-dressed and quiet Pho made a splash, staging his first solo show and regularly exhibiting at the Salon des Independents, later acting as an advisor to the Vietnamese Embassy in Paris. A supporter of Vietnamese independence, Pho attended the 1946 negotiations at Fontainebleau with President Ho Chi Minh, who advised him to stay in Paris and promote Vietnam's cultural reputation instead of returning home to fight.

The 1950s marked a shift for the artist, perhaps echoing a 1943 meeting with Henri Matisse where the Frenchman advised Pho to brighten his color palette. Apparently taking this to heart, and embracing the work of Redon and Bonnard, Pho pulled French modernism into his practice, abandoning an overtly Asian style, but not his heritage. In fact, Pho's elegant portraits almost exclusively feature Asian sitters, exquisitely rendered in soft, Impressionistic color. The long, precise brushes of watercolor on silk from his early days are replaced by bolder, sometimes unexpected colors applied in thick, rapid strokes, the artist accelerating his work, capturing the essence of each delicate bloom before it wilts.

His passionate yet gentle rendering of figures and florals has produced an enduring legacy for Le Pho, with his work represented in the permanent collections of institutions around the world, most notably in the Musée d'Art Moderne in Paris and the Vietnam Museum of Modern Art.


More information about Le Pho. See also: Pho, Le Artist.

*Heritage Auctions strives to provide as much information as possible but encourages in-person inspection by bidders. Statements regarding the condition of objects are only for general guidance and should not be relied upon as complete statements of fact, and do not constitute a representation, warranty or assumption of liability by Heritage. Some condition issues may not be noted in the condition report but are apparent in the provided photos which are considered part of the condition report. Please note that we do not de-frame lots estimated at $1,000 or less and may not be able to provide additional details for lots valued under $500. Heritage does not guarantee the condition of frames and shall not be liable for any damage/scratches to frames, glass/acrylic coverings, original boxes, display accessories, or art that has slipped in frames. All lots are sold "AS IS" under the Terms & Conditions of Auction.