Paintings of King Ham Nghi returning home, exhibited at Hue Imperial City

More than 20 oil paintings created by King Ham Nghi during his years in exile will be exhibited at Kien Trung Palace (Hue) at the end of March.

The Sky, Mountains, and Water exhibition will take place for two weeks, starting from March 25. This is the second retrospective exhibition, and also the largest exhibition ever held for King Ham Nghi's paintings in Vietnam.

Oil painting "Dawn on the Lake" (circa 1910) by King Ham Nghi.

The event showcased more than 20 works, gathered from 10 private collections. The works were repatriated, appraised, preserved and restored by leading experts. Art researcher Ace Le and Dr. Amandine Dabat - the 5th generation descendant of King Ham Nghi, served as co-curators.

Art researcher Ace Le commented that Ham Nghi's paintings are a unique combination of painting talent and love for his country, where he expressed his nostalgia for his homeland and also contained a hidden resistance against oppression during his exile.

The painting "Wheat Field" (1913) is also on display at the exhibition.

According to the organizers, the "return" of Ham Nghi's paintings to Kien Trung Palace ( Hue ) - the former residence of the Nguyen Dynasty royal family, is a tribute from later generations to the patriotic king.

This is also a rare opportunity for the public in Vietnam to admire the beauty of King Ham Nghi's paintings in an exhibition space designed within the relic to meet international museum exhibition standards.

“Landscape with Cypresses (Menthon-Saint-Bernard)” (1906).

Until now, the public knew King Ham Nghi, the one who drafted the Can Vuong edict with the ambition of regaining sovereignty for the nation from the French colonialists.

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. Therefore, he can be considered a pioneer in the dawn of modern Vietnamese art .

During his exile, King Ham Nghi revealed his clear talent for painting. He studied and pursued 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.

"Algerian Landscape" (1902).

Mr. Hoang Viet Trung - Director of Hue Monuments Conservation Center said: "Displaying and introducing works of King Ham Nghi helps preserve and promote national cultural identity, helping young generations better understand the history and culture of the country, thereby being more aware of preserving and promoting heritage".

The program is non-commercial (no paintings traded), open to visitors.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/tranh-cua-vua-ham-nghi-hoi-huong-ve-trien-lam-tai-dai-noi-hue-2371573.html