Valentine Hugo was born in Boulogne-Sur-Mer, France in 1887. She always had an interest in art and began sketching while in school; mostly ballet dancers. Hugo studied painting in Paris where she met Jean Hugo, grandson of famous French author, Victor Hugo. Valentine and Jean married in 1919. Hugo began her career with wood engravings of Romeo and Juliette maquettes by Jean Hugo. In 1926, she attended one of the first surrealist expositions where she met close friend, Paul Elvard.

She was also a costume designer on the set of La Passion de Jeanne d'Arc. She returned to Paris and began her career as a Surrealist. She later divorced her husband in 1932. In the years following she lived, t...