Amandine Dabat (left) - the fifth-generation descendant of King Ham Nghi and visitors contemplate paintings by King Ham Nghi. (Photo: VNA)
An exhibition showcasing paintings by King Ham Nghi, created during his years in exile, opened at Kien Trung Palace in the central city of Hue on March 24.
With the theme 'Troi, Non, Nuoc | Allusive Panorama' (Sky, Mountain, Water | Allusive Panorama), the exhibition - the largest one to show the King’s paintings in Vietnam - presented 21 pieces gathered from 10 private collections, which have been repatriated, appraised, preserved and restored by leading experts.
They have been co-curated by art researcher Ace Le and Amandine Dabat, who is the fifth-generation descendant of Ham Nghi, an emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty who reigned for only one year before being captured and exiled to Algeria in 1886 because of his opposition to the French colonial rule.
According to curator Ace Le, King Ham Nghi's paintings uniquely combine his artistic talent and love for the country. Through his art, he expressed his homesickness. His paintings also contain a 'hidden resistance' to oppression during his exile.
Franck Bolgiani, Cultural Attaché at the French Embassy, Director of the French Institute in Hanoi, and Deputy Director of the French Institute in Vietnam, remarked that King Ham Nghi was one of the first Vietnamese artists trained in Western painting techniques. By blending classical French techniques with a deep love for nature and his homeland's culture, he created unique works full of emotion and imbued with nostalgia.
Through this exhibition, visitors have an opportunity to admire the artistic language of an emperor, who, even in exile, knew how to revive the memories and culture of his homeland, said Franck Bolgiani.
The exhibition will remain open to visitors until the end of April 6./.
