Better known as Nam Son, Nguyen Van Tho is widely distinguished as the co-founder of I'Ecole des Beaux-Arts de I'lndochine (1925-45), the legendary art school that paves the way for the development of modern art in Vietnam. Among the 128 students who graduated from the school, many of them went on to become reputable modern masters of Vietnamese art, such as Le Pho, Mai Trung Thu, Vu Cao Dam, Nguyen Phan Chanh, To Ngoc Van, Nguyen Gia Tri, etc.

Born into a family of scholars,Nam Son was raised by his mother, Nguyen Thi Lan. His father was the Confucian Nguyen Van Khang, former Secretary of the Tonkin governor's palace. He passed away when Nam Son was only four years old. The last emperor, Bao Dai, gave his mother the title “Tiet hanh kha Phong"(an honorary award).

At a young age, Nam Son received training in Chinese calligraphy taught by his brother Si-Duc and his cousin Pham Nhu Binh. He became interested in painting and drawing during high school at the Lycee du Protectorate. He studied Vietnamese folk painting, Chinese ink paintings, and Japanese paintings by himself since there weren't any fine art schools then.His talent for painting got him invited to make illustrations for books and magazines.

ln 1921, Nam Son met with the French artist Victor Tardieu (the other co-founder of L'Ecoledes Beaux-Arts), who helped him get familiar with Western techniques and materials. Tardieu's instruction and Nam Son's earlier experience of learning to paint alone mad them realize that establishing a fine art school in Vietnam would be great. Hence, L'Ecole des Beaux-Arts de I'lndochine came about.