Victor François Tardieu (1870 – 1937) - French artist; cofounder of what is now known as the Vietnam University of Fine Arts.

Born in France in Orliénas (département du Rhône, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes) on 30th April 1870, Victor enrolled at the École nationale des Beaux-arts de Lyon in 1887. After two years there, he transferred to the Académie Julian in Paris, where he studied for a year. In 1890, he enrolled at the École des Beaux-arts de Paris, with the advice and support of Léon Bonnat. He was employed in the workshops of Bonnat and Albert Maignan until 1894. He also collaborated with the stained glass artist, producing a series of glass boxes.

In 1902, Victor married the harpist, Caroline Luigini, daughter of the composer and conductor, Alexandre Luigini. They had one son - Jean Tardieu, who became a writer.

In 1914, Victor volunteered for service in the First World War and worked as a medical orderly in a field hospital near Dunkirk; during which time he continued to sketch and paint. 

In 1915, Victor painted some of the scenes at the Hospital in the Oatfield, organised by British poet and nurse Millicent, Duchess of Sutherland in France in the early days of WW1. 

Victor's paintings of the Hospital in the Oatfield are now owned by the Florence Nightingale Museum in London.

In 1925, Victor 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.  Victor died in Hanoi, Vietnam on 12th June 1937.

Sources:

https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_Tardieu

https://www.florence-nightingale.co.uk/the-hospital-in-the-oatfield/

https://femalewarpoets.blogspot.com/2018/03/a-book-about-ww1-poet-millicent-duchess.html

https://femalewarpoets.blogspot.com/2018/03/a-book-about-ww1-poet-millicent-duchess.html