“Hillsides in Deli Ibrahim (Algiers)” painting (Photo: VNA)
Ham Nghi (1871-1944), personal name Nguyen Phuc Minh, came to the throne in 1884 and was the 8th king of the Nguyen dynasty (1802-1945). After the imperial city of Hue was lost in 1885, he left the capital and issued the “Can Vuong” (aid the king) edict, calling for patriots to rise up to regain independence and freedom. He was detained by the French colonialists in 1888 and exiled in Algiers the following year.
He lived at a villa on El Biar hill, about 12km from Algiers, and still upheld the homeland’s traditions until his death in January 1944.
During the years of exile, the king learned painting and sculpture, following the art movements of impressionism and post-impressionism. He created 91 paintings along with a number of sculptures. Many of his works became known in the art world through auctions and exhibitions in France.
The oil painting was created in 1908, depicting the countryside landscape near his home in Algiers. In 1926, the work, given that title and signed “Tu Xuan”, was displayed at the Mantelet-Colette Weil gallery in Paris.
Meanwhile, the 500-page book was published in the Vietnamese language last month, compiled by Dr. Amandine Dabat, Ham Nghi’s fifth-generation descendant. It explores the dual identity of the emperor as a patriot and an artist during his exile in France and Algeria. Originally published in French by Sorbonne Press in 2019, the book features 71 pages of artwork, 12 pages of sculptures, and 68 pages of archival photographs and correspondence.
Dabat's research was drawn from two major collections: a private family archive of 2,500 documents, including Ham Nghi's personal correspondence during exile, and administrative records from the Algerian government stored at France's national overseas archives.
Director of the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum Nguyen Anh Minh said that “Hillsides in Deli Ibrahim (Algiers)” not only enriches the museum’s collection but is also a precious source of reference for researchers of Vietnam’s fine arts in the late 19th century and the early 20th century./.
