VI
EN
The event, organized by Art Nation in collaboration with the French Institute in Vietnam and the Van Mieu - Quoc Tu Giám Cultural and Scientific Activities Center, runs until May 10th. This is the next phase of a project that aims to attract over 110,000 visitors to Hue in 2025.
The paintings were selected from 10 private collections, after being repatriated and restored.
The exhibition features 20 works, selected from 10 private collections. The paintings have undergone repatriation, appraisal, and restoration. The event was co-curated by art researcher Ace Lê and Dr. Amandine Dabat, a fifth-generation descendant of King Hàm Nghi.
Visitors view paintings on the opening day of the exhibition in Hanoi.
The first Vietnamese person to learn to draw in the Western academic style.
Unlike the image of a king on a throne or a warrior leading the Can Vuong movement, the paintings of King Ham Nghi (artistic name Tu Xuan) are a combination of Western technique and Eastern spirit. After being exiled to Algeria, he studied painting and created works under the pseudonym Tu Xuan, leaving behind many landscape paintings connected to his personal memories and emotions.
Commenting on the artistic stature of the former emperor, curator Ace Lê shared: "Vietnamese people already know Hàm Nghi as a national hero, but it was only when Dr. Amandine Dabat published a book about Hàm Nghi that the public began to pay attention to him as a painter. And not just any painter, but Hàm Nghi was the first Vietnamese person to study painting in the academic Western style."
Ace Lê and Amandine Dabat share their curatorial journey and the significance of the exhibition.
The symbolic value of the heritage repatriation journey.
The works in the exhibition are primarily oil paintings on canvas, with a style that focuses on capturing light and atmosphere. Scenes such as "Lakeside shaded by trees," "Landscape with cypress trees," or "Sunrise on the lake" demonstrate a quiet observation, restrained detail, and rich emotion.
The painting "Spring Road" (circa 1910), oil on canvas.
"The Spring Road" (circa 1910), a work depicting the natural scenery during the period when Hàm Nghi lived in exile.
"The Birch Grove" (circa 1910), oil on canvas, painted in Vichy (France). The work is part of the Hélina collection.
"Landscape with Cypress Trees" (1906), oil on canvas, painted in Menthon-Saint-Bernard (France). The work is in a private collection.
The display of King Hàm Nghi's works at Văn Miếu - Quốc Tử Giám (Temple of Literature - National University) holds great symbolic significance. Mr. Lê Xuân Kiêu, Director of the Văn Miếu - Quốc Tử Giám Cultural and Scientific Activities Center, stated that exhibiting King Hàm Nghi's paintings at the site contributes to honoring the intellectual values and cultural traditions of the nation.
As part of the event, the organizers are carrying out a series of satellite activities including exchange sessions and themed tours. At 10:00 AM on April 25, 2026, an art discussion on the journey of repatriating artworks will take place at the Nguy Nhu Kon Tum Hall (Hanoi).
The exhibition is open to the public free of charge until May 10, 2026, at Thai Hoc House, Temple of Literature - National University.
