Early Life, Family and Training

Lê Thị Lựu was born on 19 January 1911 in Tho Khoi in Ha Bac, North Vietnam. Her upbringing was shaped by her father, Le Van Que, a civil servant who had received a French education. This background provided her with a connection to different cultural perspectives from a young age. Growing up in this environment, she developed an early interest in the visual arts that would eventually define her life.

At the age of 16, she entered the École des Beaux-Arts de l’Indochine in Hanoi. Her presence at the school was significant, as she became its first female painter. This was a rare position for a woman at the time, marking her as a pioneer within the institution. She studied with a focus that would lead her to become the first Vietnamese woman to graduate from the Indochina Fine Arts College.

Her talent was evident throughout her formal studies. By 1932, she had completed her training, graduating as the valedictorian of her class. This achievement marked the beginning of a professional path that would eventually take her far from her birthplace in Ha Bac, though her early training in Hanoi remained the foundation of her technical skill.

Teaching Career in Vietnam

After graduating as the top student of the Indochina Fine Arts College in 1932, Lê Thị Lựu began sharing her knowledge through various teaching positions in Vietnam. Her early career was defined by a commitment to education, working within several different school systems across the country. She held positions at the Bưởi school, where she helped shape the skills of young students, including the painter Phan Kế An. Her influence extended to the Trường Trung học Bảo hộ, also known as the Collège du Protectorat, where she helped guide students through their formal studies.

Her dedication to instruction also led her to the Trường Nữ sư phạm, known today as Trưng Vương in Hà Nội. This period of her life was marked by a deep involvement in the local educational landscape, including time spent at the trường nữ sinh bản xứ, or trường Áo Tím, which is now the Nguyễn Thị Minh Khai school. Through these various roles, she helped establish a foundation for many students during a transformative era in Vietnamese education.

Life and Work in France

In 1940, Lê Thị Lựu left her home to settle in Paris alongside her husband, Ngô Thế Tân. She arrived during a period when a small group of Vietnamese artists was beginning to make a permanent mark on the French art scene. While many artists of her generation sought to establish themselves through exhibitions, Lựu found a significant calling in the classroom. She became a prolific teacher, sharing her knowledge with students in the city for many years.

Her expertise led her to several prestigious teaching positions. She served as a professor at Lycee Corot in 1962, followed by roles at Lycee Rodin and Lycee d’Orsay in 1963. These years were spent deeply embedded in the French educational system, helping to shape the next generation of artists before she eventually retired in 1971. Even while living in France, her work remained tethered to the landscapes and people of her homeland.

She remained in France for the rest of her life, continuing to paint and create until her death on 6 June 1988. Her time in Paris allowed her to develop a unique perspective, blending her Vietnamese roots with the life she had built in Europe.

• Maternity (1946)
• Girl with Flower (1950)
• Woman and Child (1959)
• Youth (1960)
• The First Steps (1960)
• Lady in a Field (1960)

Artistic Style and Techniques

Lê Thị Lựu’s work is defined by a deep, quiet connection to the people and landscapes of her homeland. She often turned her gaze toward the gentle presence of children, finding particular inspiration in the faces of young girls and women. These subjects were not merely figures in a composition but were central to her way of seeing the world. Her paintings frequently captured the essence of the Vietnamese landscape, reflecting a persistent love for the country even after she moved to France. As she traveled, her subjects expanded to include the people and scenery of the various places she visited, blending her personal history with the landscapes of her surroundings.

Her technical approach was as varied as the subjects she chose to paint. She worked with a delicate touch, often using ink and gouache on silk to achieve a soft, translucent quality. She also utilized oil on silk, as well as traditional oil and gouache on other surfaces. This versatility allowed her to navigate the subtle textures required for her portraits and the more expansive needs of her landscapes. Whether working with the fluidity of ink or the weight of oil, her focus remained on the human connection to the environment.

• Girl with her bouquet
• Mẹ Địu Con (Mother Carrying Baby on Her Back)
• Ba Mẹ Con Quả Phụ (A Widow and Her Children)
• Sơn Nữ (Mountain Girl)
• Portrait of a Guinée Man
• Lady in a Field

Where to See the Works Today

For those wishing to encounter her art in person, the HCM City Fine Arts Museum holds a significant collection of her pieces. The museum hosts a permanent exhibition dedicated to her life and creative output. This collection allows viewers to see the delicate nature of her silk paintings and the way she captured the people and landscapes of her homeland.

A specific exhibition titled "Lê Thị Lựu - Ấn Tượng Hoàng Hôn" features twenty-seven of her silk paintings. This gathering of work provides a sense of her development and the themes she returned to throughout her life. Alongside these paintings, the exhibition includes two sketches and two photographs of her works, offering a glimpse into her process and the visual record of her career.

The exhibition also includes a painting by her husband, Ngô Thế Tân. Seeing his work alongside hers provides a quiet look at the artistic environment they shared. These pieces have returned to Vietnam after being kept abroad for many years, allowing them to be viewed in the cultural context they reflect.