Lhote first trained as an apprentice to his father, a woodcarver, and in decorative arts. By 1907, he was exhibiting his paintings, which were influenced by Cézanne and the Fauvists. In 1909, while at the Villa Médicis Libre in Ogreville, he met Raoul Dufy, who introduced him to renowned poets and artists, influencing his work further. From 1911, after exhibiting at Salle 41, he was connected with the Cubists, although his Cubist work was infused with equal realism. By 1918, Lhote was teaching in Paris, and continued to do so until the 1950s, attracting many students. His works remained influenced by both Cubism and figurative painting.