Watching the Sky, Mountains, and Water through oil paintings of King Ham Nghi

(CLO) The exhibition titled “Sky, Mountains, Water” (Allusive Panorama) will take place for two weeks from March 25 at Kien Trung Palace ( Hue ). The event displays 20 original landscape oil paintings created by King Ham Nghi during his years of exile.

The exhibition "Sky, Mountains, Water" marks the second time that King Ham Nghi's paintings have been exhibited in the country. Compared to the first time at the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum in November 2024, the exhibition is larger in scale, gathering more than 20 paintings from 10 private collections.

The works have been repatriated, appraised, preserved and restored by leading experts, co-curated by Dr. Amandine Dabat, 5th generation descendant of King Ham Nghi and art researcher Ace Le.

Oil painting “Forest Shore (Lake Geneva)” (circa 1920) by King Ham Nghi. Photo: Kâ-Mondo

Until now, the public often knew King Ham Nghi as a national hero, the one who raised the flag of the Can Vuong uprising, but not many people knew that he (along with painter Le Van Mien) were the first two Vietnamese painters to receive formal creative training in Western academia.

In 1888, King Ham Nghi was captured by French colonialists and exiled to Algiers (capital of Algeria) in 1889. According to Dr. Amandine Dabat, during his exile, the king studied painting and sculpture, pursuing impressionism and post-impressionism.

Before his death, he left behind a huge artistic legacy of 91 paintings and sculptures. Many of his works are known to the art world through auctions and exhibitions in France. "Ham Nghi's paintings are a unique combination of his artistic talent and love for his country, where he expressed his nostalgia for his homeland and also his hidden resistance to the oppression during his exile" - Curator Ace Le shared.

The exhibition of Ham Nghi's paintings in Kien Trung Palace (Hue), the former residence of the Nguyen Dynasty royal family, is considered a tribute from later generations to the patriotic king. This is also a rare opportunity for the Vietnamese public to admire the beauty of King Ham Nghi's paintings in a relic space designed according to international museum exhibition standards.

“Landscape with Cypresses (Menthon-Saint-Bernard)” (1906). Photo: Kâ- Mondo

The exhibition takes place simultaneously with the time Hue hosts the National Tourism Year, combined with Hue Festival 2025, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the province's Liberation Day and welcoming Hue to become a centrally-run city.

According to Mr. Hoang Viet Trung - Director of the Hue Monuments Conservation Center, the exhibition of King Ham Nghi helps young generations better understand the history and culture of the country, thereby becoming more aware of preserving and promoting heritage.

At the same time, it contributes to affirming the position of the ancient capital Hue as a cultural center in the historical flow of Vietnam. Coming to the exhibition, visitors also have the opportunity to interact with the curators and experts to better understand the process of repatriating Ham Nghi paintings and implementing the exhibition.

The exhibition "Sky, Mountains, Water" (Allusive Panorama) will take place for two weeks from March 25 at Kien Trung Palace (Hue).

PV

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/ngam-troi-non-nuoc-qua-tranh-son-dau-cua-vua-ham-nghi-post334625.html