Themes

Born in Hanoï in 1916, Jean Delpech lived in Indochina (Vietnam) until 1935, where his father worked as a Public Works architecte.

He studied in the French Albert Sarraut Highschool (from 1926 to 1934) where he became close to Giap (the future general of Viet Namese Liberation army) and Pham-Huy-Thong, a famous poet for whom he made several illustrations.

From childhood, he demonstrated a strong love for drawing and after High School he joined the  Hanoï Fine Arts School where he studied lacquer and painting with Inguinberty, artist and teacher.

Before leaving Indochina, he made a series of sketches from life, that were not characteristic of his later style but showed his keen gift of observation. Sketches  included popular street scenes, human work, nature, and boats of all kind ; some of his  favorite themes that he would explore later in his life.
His sharp line, precise and firm, caught the essential of his subject, and these drawings are a valuable account of this period of time.

The country where he spent his youth left a deep mark on him and his work, to the point he often said he was a foreigner in France. His vision as an artist is linked to these Indochinese years.