‘Woman combing her hair’, an artwork of Lê Phổ

In the first half of the 1940s, the series of silk paintings by artist Lê Phổ with themes of Vietnamese women became a symbol of the elegant, graceful, and dignified beauty of tradition. From the image of girls combing their hair, reading books, drinking tea, playing with cats or quietly standing next to flowers… all were portrayed with a soft, poetic language of painting. These are not just portraits, but poems in color and light, where feminine beauty is hiding a beautiful inner self, symbolized as a spiritual value.

The silk painting ‘Woman combing her hair’ is a typical example of Lê Phổ’s masterful talent in combining lines and colors. The pure white áo dài, a symbol of urban beauty, stands out on a warm, classic yellow-brown background, evoking a sense of nostalgia and peace. The roses, interspersed with gentle green leaves, not only serve as a background for the character, but also contribute to creating a romantic, poetic space.

The special highlight of the painting is the long, jet-black hair, naturally loose, creating a soft curve like water waves. That curve is both a visual support and a flexible connection that connects the entire composition, like a flow of emotions that seeps into every detail, highlighting the typical beauty of Vietnamese women in the first half of the 20th century.

Not only painting women, Lê Phổ portrayed their images with affection, empathy and respect. In the eyes and gestures of the woman is a rich, gentle and discreet inner world, exuding the beauty of purity and virtue. That is what makes ‘Woman combing her hair’ not only a painting, but a pure memory, an artistic symbol honoring the beauty of Vietnamese women.

And those memories always filled in the artist’s heart.

LÊ PHỔ (1907–2001)
‘Woman combing her hair’
Ink and colour on silk
Signed in the lower left corner
33 × 24.8 cm
Estimate: 100,000 – 150,000 EUR

The artwork is in the auction ‘Legends: 100 years from Indochina Fine Arts College’, will be held at 5:00 pm (Hà Nội time) on June 1, 2025.

Contact:
Ta Hsi CHANG
tchang@millon.com
+33 (0) 1 47 27 93 29
Hotline: +84 706 430 688
Email: info@millon-vietnam.com

WRITTEN BY VIET ART VIEW
COPYRIGHTS BELONG TO VIET ART VIEW