Accompanied by a certificate issued by Wally Findlay Galleries confirming the authenticity of this lot

Provenance: Wally Findlay Galleries, USA

ABOUT THE WORK

Le Pho, a twentieth-century artist, is the tenth child in a family of twenty of Emperor Le Hoan, born in 1907. He was cultured, well-educated, and trained in brush painting. At eighteen, he was part of the first class of students who attended the French-sponsored Ecole Superieure des Beaux-Arts in Hanoi, directed by Victor Tardieu—a classmate of Matisse and Moreau— between 1925 and 1930. Well-traveled, he promoted his work at galleries worldwide. Le Pho settled in France until his death in 2001. Le Pho’s art went through three distinct periods. The strong shifts in subject, medium, and style between them are seen to be a testament to his versatility as an artist. His first period started in Hanoi and stayed until his early years in Paris. Le Pho created landscapes that reminisce his youth in Vietnam, each painting steeped with nostalgia and the historical magnificence of the country. His works in this period were perhaps a homage to the homeland which Le Pho left behind. Then, his Romanet Period came to light when he met a gallery owner who became his major promoter. The period was named after the French man, and it would last until the 1960s. After some time, Le Pho signed a contract with the American gallerist Wally Findlay who introduced his works to the American market. This would mark the beginning of his final artistic period, also known as Findlay Period. His canvases, mostly painted in oil, were inhabited by Vietnamese women with elongated figures surrounded by lush landscapes. Le Pho pursued his Findlay Period with enthusiasm as he painted with a bright palette, depicting his usual muses and floral still life. As observed in this oil piece, his subjects are set in a vibrant background of predominant yellow, and the ambiance brings out a level of appeal and delight to the viewers. (Isabella Romarate)