Born in Hanoi, Vu Cao Dam (1908-2000) graduated from Ecole des Beaux Arts de l’Indochine in 1931 and was friends with many masters of Vietnam modern art. In 1931 Dam received a scholarship to study in France at Ecole du Lourve and there he actively participated in many exhibitions, in both painting and sculpture as he was encouraged by Tardieu who had recognized his talents while in Vietnam. Dam eventually settled in the south of France; he died in 2000. In Vietnam, Dam received training in the painting of nudes as the school believed it to be the only way to train the eye. The form and composition suggest a debt to Matisse while the sensuality of the nude is enhanced by the choice of silk support which emphasizes the delicate lines and curves.
