Le Pho (1907-2001) Lot n° 37

Maternité Oil on canvas, signed lower right 73.5 x 60.5 cm - 28 7/8 x 23 3/4 in. Maternity illustrates the evolution of the artist’s style at the end of his career, marked by his years in France. The color was unleashed and gave way to a vivid palette: saffron yellow, tea pink, acid green, blue-gray shimmered on the canvas. The abandonment of the ring frees the material, the touch is less applied: the flowers in the background are made with a spontaneous gesture formed by large flat areas. At this period, Lê Phổ only uses canvas, the western medium par excellence. The freedom that accompanies his gesture is followed by the choice of a larger medium. The format used here allows a better appropriation of the composition, giving free rein to the creation. If the treatment of this work marks a renewal in the artist’s style, certain elements inseparable from the Master since his beginnings are found. The subject of motherhood is in line with the continuity of Lê Phổ’s corpus, which has never ceased to represent maternal gentleness. The type of model is also characteristic. The Vietnamese profile of the mother and her son can be seen in their long features, their porcelain complexions, but also their jet hair. Although undergoing notable evolutions, the style of Lê Phổ, the emblematic artist of the first graduating class of the Hanoi School of Fine Arts, has been enriched by the influences surrounding him while maintaining a recognizable style in which his Vietnamese origins can be proudly read.