The surprising story behind 21 paintings by King Ham Nghi

For the first time, 21 precious paintings of King Ham Nghi, gathered from 10 official private collections, are on display to welcome art lovers from all over the country from March 25 to April 6.

A work by King Ham Nghi displayed at the exhibition. Photo: Organizing Committee

Taking the pen name Tu Xuan (meaning Son of Spring), King Ham Nghi expressed in art his nostalgia for his homeland and his desire to transcend time.

Over the past 15 years, paintings by King Ham Nghi have appeared on the French art market, mainly from private collections, descendants of friends to whom he gave the paintings.

It was from here that Vietnamese collectors began to discover and bring his paintings back.

The painting "Afternoon" by King Ham Nghi was painted in 1900. Photo: BTC

The exhibition with the theme "Sky, Mountains, Water/Allusive Panorama" not only brings the public to the exiled emperor's painting legacy but also a dialogue between the past and the present, where the colors and lines carry the king's artistic soul, sending his thoughts through painting.

With the works Afternoon on the Alps, Poplar Dawn, Cattle on the Fields ..., viewers can feel the simple, rustic strokes but contain nostalgia for their homeland.

The exhibition works are the result of a journey of more than 1 year of diligent searching, confirmation, appraisal, and strict restoration according to international standards by curator Ace Le and Lan Tinh Foundation, in collaboration with Dr. Amandine Dabat (5th generation descendant of King Ham Nghi) and many leading domestic and foreign art units and partners.

In the newly restored space on the second floor of Kien Trung Palace, where works by King Ham Nghi are displayed, each painting opens up a piece of King Ham Nghi's inner world.

Sharing more about King Ham Nghi's painting talent, curator, art researcher Ace Le, who is also the Editor-in-Chief of Art Republik magazine, said that Ham Nghi's paintings are a unique combination of artistic talent and love for the country, where he expressed his nostalgia for his homeland and also contained a hidden resistance to the oppression during his exile.

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/chuyen-bat-ngo-dang-sau-21-tac-pham-hoi-hoa-cua-vua-ham-nghi-post340010.html