Portrait and Subject: Portrait du jeune Li Bo Yi (“Portrait of the young Li Bo Yi”) is an oil painting by French artist Henri Victor Lesur, currently exhibited at La Piscine Museum in Roubaix. It depicts a young Chinese boy, Li Bo Yi, in traditional Qing-era attire – including a dark silk jacket and a black hat – with a dignified, frontal pose. The subject’s name appears inscribed in Chinese characters on the canvas, indicating that Li Bo Yi was a real individual rather than an imaginary figure. This makes the portrait an intriguing document of a cross-cultural encounter during the late 19th or early 20th century. Notably, when the painting surfaced in a 2019 auction, it was fancifully described as a “Portrait d’un jeune empereur chinois” (portrait of a young Chinese emperor) , likely because European observers saw the boy’s ornate Chinese dress and assumed an imperial status. In reality, Li Bo Yi was not royalty; he was a Chinese youth whose personal story reflects the broader historical context of Chinese presence in France at the time.
Who Was Li Bo Yi? Background of a Chinese Youth in France
Little is published about Li Bo Yi’s life, but his very appearance in France at the turn of the century is historically significant. During the Belle Époque period (late 1800s – early 1900s), the Chinese population in France was extremely small – only 283 Chinese residents were recorded in the entire country by 1911 . Most were adults – students, merchants, or laborers – so a “jeune” (young) Chinese boy in France would have been quite rare. Li Bo Yi may have arrived in France through unusual circumstances, such as via missionary efforts or as part of an exhibition troupe. It was not uncommon for missionaries and diplomats in the late Qing dynasty to bring students or adoptees abroad, and world’s fairs and circuses sometimes featured Chinese performers. While definitive records of Li Bo Yi’s origin are scarce, the fact that Lesur knew his name (and even included it on the painting) suggests that Li Bo Yi had a distinct identity and perhaps was known in certain circles in Paris. He could have been the ward or child of a Chinese envoy, a performer in a world fair pavilion, or a student brought to France – all plausible scenarios given the era’s interactions between France and China (such as the 1889 and 1900 Paris Expositions where Chinese artisans and officials were present).
Henri Victor Lesur and the Creation of the Portrait
Henri-Victor Lesur (1863–1937) was a French painter from Roubaix (the same city where La Piscine Museum is located) . Lesur built his career in Paris – he trained under François Flameng at the École des Beaux-Arts and began exhibiting at the Salon de Paris in 1885 . He became known for finely detailed portraits and genre scenes, often harkening back to 18th-century fashions and Rococo elegance . By the 1890s, Lesur was an accomplished portraitist who had earned honors at major events – he won awards at the Exposition Universelle of 1889 and again in 1900 in Paris .
It was around this fertile period that Lesur painted Portrait du jeune Li Bo Yi. The portrait’s exact date isn’t published, but stylistically and contextually it likely dates to the late 1880s or 1890s, when Oriental themes and global expositions were in vogue. Lesur would have encountered Li Bo Yi in Paris, where a small Chinese community and visiting delegations existed. The painter, skilled in capturing facial expressions and luxurious costume textures, must have been struck by the opportunity to paint an authentically Chinese subject. The result is a realistic, respectful depiction – quite different from the fanciful “Chinoiserie” portraits of earlier eras, which often relied on European imagination. Here, Lesur portrays Li Bo Yi with soft, lifelike features and traditional dress details, indicating he likely worked from life with the boy as his sitter. We do not have evidence of a long-term relationship between artist and subject, but their interaction speaks to a moment of cultural exchange. Lesur’s choice of this subject could have been driven by personal fascination or a commission by someone interested in Sino-French relations. It’s noteworthy that Lesur identified the boy by name, suggesting a genuine personal connection or at least an intent to document the individual, not just an exotic stereotype.
Cultural and Historical Context of the Portrait
When Lesur painted Li Bo Yi, France was fascinated by the art and cultures of Asia. This was the age of Orientalism and Japonisme, and while much attention was given to Japanese art after 1860, Chinese themes also appeared in French culture. However, portraits of actual Chinese people by European academic painters were uncommon. Lesur’s Portrait du jeune Li Bo Yi can be seen as part of this cross-cultural curiosity. It was likely influenced by France’s interactions with China in that era – for instance, the aftermath of the Sino-French War (1884–85) and increased diplomatic and commercial contacts, as well as the presence of a Chinese pavilion and Chinese visitors at the 1900 Exposition Universelle in Paris. French audiences were eager to learn about distant lands, and having a Chinese youth in person provided a living window into a culture that many only knew through art and objects.
In the portrait, Li Bo Yi wears what appears to be a Qing official-style outfit with a rank badge or amulet on his chest, and a black turban-like hat. Such details would have evoked the image of a young mandarin to French viewers. Indeed, the European auction catalog that much later mis-titled him a “young Chinese emperor” underscores how exotic and important the boy’s attire seemed to outsiders . We can infer that Li Bo Yi’s role (perhaps as a student or assistant in some Chinese mission, or as an orphan in care of French patrons) might have involved representing his culture, whether intentionally or just by his presence. His calm, direct gaze and youthfulness in the painting give him a poignant dignity, inviting viewers then and now to see him as an individual bridging two worlds.
Significance and Legacy of Li Bo Yi’s Portrait
Beyond its aesthetic quality, Portrait du jeune Li Bo Yi holds significance in both historical and artistic terms. Historically, it commemorates one of the early instances of a Chinese person’s likeness captured in Western academic art with identification. Li Bo Yi himself does not appear to have become a famous historical figure, but his portrait symbolizes the early Chinese diaspora in France – a human story amid broader events of colonialism, missionary outreach, and cultural exchange. The painting also reflects how a French artist of Lesur’s era engaged with an Asian subject empathetically, moving away from caricature. In a period when only a few hundred Chinese lived in France and were mostly adults , Lesur’s choice to paint a “jeune Chinois” was quite novel. It suggests an openness to portraying global diversity and perhaps a progressive curiosity for his time.
Artistically, Henri Victor Lesur’s work here blends his academic skill in portraiture with a documentary sensibility. Lesur, known for society portraits and genre scenes, applied those skills to record the features of Li Bo Yi with nuance. The muted, earthy background of the painting keeps all focus on the boy’s face and ornate clothing, almost presenting him like a dignitary. This contrasts with the playful Rococo-themed genre paintings Lesur often made, indicating this portrait was meant as a serious study. Lesur’s career largely centered on France’s own past and people, so this portrait stands out as a worldly subject in his oeuvre. It’s possible that Lesur exhibited this portrait in a Salon or international fair to showcase something “exotic” – if so, it would have contributed to French viewers’ exposure to a real person from China, rather than a fictional depiction.
Today, the portrait’s presence in La Piscine Museum (Roubaix) is fitting on multiple levels. Roubaix was Lesur’s birthplace, so the museum collects his work as part of local heritage. Moreover, Roubaix in the early 20th century was a textile hub with global links, so a portrait of a Chinese youth resonates with the city’s historical connections to Asia (through silk, trade, etc.). The museum acquired Portrait du jeune Li Bo Yi in the 21st century, highlighting its value as both an artwork and a cultural artifact. Visitors now can appreciate Li Bo Yi’s likeness and story, gaining insight into a unique encounter between France and China over a century ago. The portrait invites reflection on why Lesur chose this subject – whether out of fascination with Chinese culture, human empathy, or the patronage of someone who knew the boy. In sum, Li Bo Yi’s portrait is significant as a rare portrayal of an actual Chinese individual in European art of that era, embodying a small but meaningful chapter of history where art, culture, and cross-cultural friendship intersected.
Sources:
• Lesur’s biographical details and career: Henri-Victor Lesur (1863–1937) . Lesur specialized in portraits and costumed genre scenes, and he exhibited in Paris from 1885 through 1900, earning medals in 1889 and 1900 .
• Auction record of the painting (2019) titled Portrait d’un jeune empereur chinois, oil on canvas 46×38 cm , confirming the work and its subject’s portrayal.
• Context on Chinese in France: By 1911 only 283 Chinese were recorded in France (mostly in Paris) , illustrating the rarity of a figure like Li Bo Yi in that period. This small community included students, traders, and a few workers, making a young boy an unusual presence .
• Image: Henri Victor Lesur, Portrait du jeune Li Bo Yi, oil on canvas (La Piscine, Roubaix). The painting shows Li Bo Yi in traditional Chinese attire, with Chinese characters (likely his name) inscribed at left.
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