Victor François Tardieu (30 April 1870, Orliénas - 12 June 1937,

Hanoi Hanoi ( ; ; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Vietnam, second-most populous city of Vietnam. The name "Hanoi" translates to "inside the river" (Hanoi is bordered by the Red River (Asia), Red and Black River (Asia), Black Riv ...

) was a French painter; cofounder of what is now known as the

Vietnam University of Fine Arts The Vietnam University of Fine Arts (formerly ''Hanoi College of Fine Arts'') is an art school in Hanoi, Vietnam originally established in Tonkin under French colonial rule in 1925. The university has trained many of Vietnam's leading artists and ...

Biography

In 1887, he was admitted to the

École nationale des beaux-arts de Lyon École or Ecole may refer to: * an elementary school in the French educational stages normally followed by secondary education establishments (collège and lycée) * École (river), a tributary of the Seine flowing in région Île-de-France * Éco ...

. After two years there, he transferred to the

Académie Julian The () was a private art school for painting and sculpture founded in Paris, France, in 1867 by French painter and teacher Rodolphe Julian (1839–1907). The school was active from 1868 through 1968. It remained famous for the number and qual ...

in Paris, where he studied for a year. In 1890, he entered the

École des beaux-arts de Paris The (), formally the (), is a French ''grande école'' whose primary mission is to provide high-level fine arts education and training. The art school, which is part of the Paris Sciences et Lettres University, is located on two sites: Saint-G ...

, with the advice and support of

Léon Bonnat Léon Joseph Florentin Bonnat (; 20 June 1833 – 8 September 1922) was a French painter, Grand Officer of the Légion d'honneur, art collector and professor at the Ecole des Beaux Arts. Early life Bonnat was born in Bayonne, but from 1846 to 1853 ...

. He was employed in the workshops of Bonnat and

Albert Maignan Albert Pierre René Maignan (14 October 1845 – 29 September 1908) was a French history painter and illustrator. Biography In 1864, he left his hometown to study law in Paris, earning his diploma in 1866. During his studies he also paint ...

until 1894. He also collaborated with a

stained glass Stained glass refers to coloured glass as a material or art and architectural works created from it. Although it is traditionally made in flat panels and used as windows, the creations of modern stained glass artists also include three-dimensio ...

artist, producing a series of glass boxes. In 1902, he married the

harpist The harp is a stringed musical instrument that has individual string (music), strings running at an angle to its sound board (music), soundboard; the strings are plucked with the fingers. Harps can be made and played in various ways, standing ...

, Caroline Luigini, daughter of the composer and conductor, Alexandre Luigini. They had one son, the writer

Jean Tardieu Jean Tardieu (; born in Saint-Germain-de-Joux, Ain, 1 November 1903, died in Créteil, Val-de-Marne, 27 January 1995) was a French artist, musician, poet and dramatic author. Life and career He earned a degree in literature and worked for a p ...

. Shortly after, at the Salon of the

Société des artistes français The Société des Artistes Français (, meaning "Society of French Artists") is the association of French painters and sculptors established in 1881. Its annual exhibition is called the "Salon des artistes français" (not to be confused with the ...

, he won an award that came with a travel grant, allowing him to visit London,

Liverpool Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...

and

Genoa Genoa ( ; ; ) is a city in and the capital of the Italian region of Liguria, and the sixth-largest city in Italy. As of 2025, 563,947 people live within the city's administrative limits. While its metropolitan city has 818,651 inhabitan ...

.Biography
@ The French Embassy in Vietnam From 1909 to 1911, he was engaged in painting the ceiling of the Village Hall in

Les Lilas Les Lilas () is a Communes of France, commune in the northern-eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the Kilometre Zero, centre of Paris. History The commune of Les Lilas (literally "the lilacs") was created on 24 July 1867 by de ...

. In 1914, he volunteered for service in

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

and worked as a medical orderly in a field hospital near

Dunkirk Dunkirk ( ; ; ; Picard language, Picard: ''Dunkèke''; ; or ) is a major port city in the Departments of France, department of Nord (French department), Nord in northern France. It lies from the Belgium, Belgian border. It has the third-larg ...

, during which time he continued to sketch. After the war, in 1920, he painted another ceiling, in the Town Hall of

Montrouge Montrouge () is a Communes of France, commune in the southern Parisian suburbs, located from the centre of Paris. It is one of the most densely populated municipalities in Europe. After a long period of decline, the population has increased agai ...

, with a series depicting "Les âges de la vie" (The Ages of Life). That same year, he received the

Prix de l'Indochine The Prix de l'Indochine (1914, 1920–1938) was a French colonial art prize established, originally as a one-off prize in 1910, and awarded 1914, by , Gouverneur général of Indochina. Charles Fouqueray obtained le prix Indochine 1914. From ...

and paid a six-month visit to the Far East. Finding himself attracted to the area, he settled in Hanoi the following year. His first work there was a "Canvas of Unity" for the amphitheatre of the

University of Indochina Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU; , ĐHQGHN) is a public research university system in Hanoi, Vietnam. The university system has 10 member universities and faculties. VNU is one of two Vietnam's national universities, the other one being ...

. In 1925, he and his friend, the painter Nguyễn Nam Sơn, created the École des Beaux-Arts de l'Indochine (now the Vietnam University of Fine Arts), where he served as Director until 1936. His works may be seen at the

Musée des beaux-arts de Lyon The Museum of Fine Arts of Lyon (, ) is a municipal museum of fine arts in the French city of Lyon. Located near the Place des Terreaux, it is housed in a former Benedictine convent which was active during the 17th and 18th centuries. It was res ...

, the

Musée des beaux-arts de Rennes The Museum of Fine Arts of Rennes ( ''Musée des beaux-arts de Rennes'') is a municipal museum of fine arts in the French city of Rennes, the capital of Brittany. Its collections range from ancient Egypt antiquities to the Modern art period and m ...

and the

Musée de l'Armée The Musée de l'Armée (; "Army Museum") is a national military museum of France located at Les Invalides in the 7th arrondissement of Paris. It is served by Paris Métro stations Invalides (Paris Métro and RER), Invalides, Varenne (Paris Métro ...

Selected paintings

File:Tardieu-Vaccination.jpg, The Vaccination File:Les âges de la vie, allégorie de l'enfance, plafond de l'aile Nord, Hôtel de Ville de Montrouge, Victor Tardieu, 1920 (1).jpg, Infancy, from "The Ages of Life" File:Tardieu-Market.jpg, A Market by the River File:Tardieu-Liverpool.jpg, The Port of Liverpool

References

External links

More works by Tardieu
@ ArtNet
"The Camp in the Oatfield"
paintings from his military service {{DEFAULTSORT:Tardieu, Victor 1870 births 1937 deaths People from Rhône (department) 19th-century French painters French male painters 20th-century French painters 20th-century French male artists French military personnel of World War I 19th-century French male artists

Biography

Selected paintings

References

Further reading

External links