For the first time, the precious paintings of the patriotic king have returned to his homeland, creating an opportunity for the public to enjoy the priceless legacy of the former emperor. The works, which will be displayed at Kien Trung Palace (Hue) for two weeks from March 25, are co-curated by Dr. Amandine Dabat, a fifth-generation descendant of King Ham Nghi, and art researcher Ace Le.
Help the young generation better understand the country's history and culture
The exhibition Sky, Mountain, Water/Allusive Panorama, organized by Art Republik VN magazine in collaboration with the Hue Monuments Conservation Center and the French Institute in Vietnam, will display more than 20 works, gathered from 10 private collections. The works are repatriated, appraised, preserved and restored by leading experts.
Landscape with cypress tree by King Ham Nghi painted in 1906, size 27 cm x 40.5 cm
Photo: KÂ- MONDO
Mr. Hoang Viet Trung, Director of the Hue Monuments Conservation Center, commented: "The display and introduction of King Ham Nghi's works helps preserve and promote national cultural identity, helping the younger generation better understand the history and culture of the country, thereby becoming more aware of preserving and promoting heritage."
According to curator Ace Le, Editor-in-Chief of Art Republik VN magazine: "The public has known King Ham Nghi as a national hero. However, not many people know that he was also one of the first two Vietnamese painters (along with Le Van Mien) to be trained in Western academic methods. Ham Nghi's paintings are a unique combination of painting 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."
Mr. Ace Le added that compared to previous Indochina painting exhibitions, the task of appraising King Ham Nghi's works was relatively easier. He was fortunate to be accompanied by Dr. Amandine Dabat, who currently has the most extensive and in-depth research authority on Ham Nghi's fine arts. As both a professional researcher and a representative of the king's descendants, Dr. Amandine Dabat has been recognized by international auction houses as having the qualifications and authority to authenticate King Ham Nghi's fine arts works.
Echoes of the homeland
This is the first exhibition held in Vietnam dedicated to King Ham Nghi . It is very rare to see the king's original artworks in Vietnam. Currently, only the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum in Hanoi displays one of his original paintings for the public to enjoy.
The painting Forest Shore (Lake Geneva) painted by King Ham Nghi around 1920, size 38 cm x 55 cm
Photo: KÂ- MONDO
From France, Dr. Amandine Dabat said: "Since writing my doctoral thesis on King Ham Nghi, my grandfather and I have spent a lot of time bringing the king's life and works to the public. I organized the first exhibition at the Asian Art Museum in Nice, France in 2022, with drawings, pastels, paintings and sculptures of King Ham Nghi, along with objects and archival documents belonging to him. This exhibition was then held at the African and Asian Art Museum in Vichy (France) in 2024. The exhibition Sky, Mountains, Water is different, displaying only paintings. These paintings have never been exhibited, even in France".
Dr. Amandine Dabat added that over the past 15 years, King Ham Nghi's artworks have been regularly traded on the art market in France. Most of the works that have been sold are owned by the descendants of the friends to whom King Ham Nghi gave his works. Lan Tinh Foundation collected these paintings by contacting the current owners, most of whom are Vietnamese collectors. That is why this exhibition is unique and different from previous exhibitions in France. "We are very grateful to the collectors who agreed to lend paintings for the exhibition, giving the Vietnamese public the opportunity to explore King Ham Nghi's works. Among the works on display, most come from the collection of Henri Aubé, a French officer and friend of King Ham Nghi, to whom he gave many paintings," Ms. Dabat shared.
Artist Mark Vu commented: "The exhibition Sky, Mountains, Water is a particularly meaningful cultural and artistic event, which is highly anticipated by the art community and the public. Before this information, I personally feel moved and emotional. For me, the story of the king - painter Ham Nghi is a truly interesting and admirable historical story. As an exiled emperor for more than half a century living in exile until his death, Ham Nghi became a painter and used painting as a bridge connecting him with his homeland Vietnam. His works are the first proof that Vietnamese artists abroad can continue to create, innovate and preserve cultural identity through art. When viewing, I feel that the paintings not only simply depict landscapes but also express the overwhelming loneliness and longing for a homeland that he can never return to. Although he lived in Algeria and France, the scenes chosen by Ham Nghi are reminiscent of Vietnam. Sky, Mountains Mountains and Rivers is not only an art exhibition but also a cultural milestone connecting the past with the present, honoring the artistic heritage of King Ham Nghi and Vietnamese history."
Dr. Amandine Dabat is the 5th generation descendant of King Ham Nghi. In France, she organized the first exhibition about the king in May 2022 called The Art of Exile - Ham Nghi, Prince of Annam (1871 - 1944) at the Asian Art Museum in Nice City. In Vietnam, she also contributed a lot to repatriating the former king's works such as the original oil painting Ho on the Alps (painted from 1900 - 1903) and donating the pipe as a souvenir of King Ham Nghi to the Hue Monuments Conservation Center. She graduated with a doctorate in art history from the University of Paris-Sorbonne with a thesis Ham Nghi - Emperor in Exile, Artist in Alger (Ham Nghi - Empereur en Exil, Artiste à Alger). Her thesis was adapted into a book of the same name, published by Sorbonne University Press in 2019, with a Vietnamese version released in 2024 by Social Sciences Publishing House.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/nhung-buc-tranh-chua-tung-duoc-trung-bay-cua-vua-ham-nghi-185250223204514719.htm
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