HÀ NỘI — Art enthusiasts in Hà Nội will get the rare opportunity to view artwork by Emperor Hàm Nghi (1871-1944) in an exhibition held at the city's historic Temple of Literature (Văn Miếu – Quốc Tử Giám) from April 24 to May 10.

Shaded Lake Shore (Lake Geneva) by Hàm Nghi, c. 1920, oil on canvas, 38 x 55cm.

Ttled Trời, Non, Nước (Allusive Panorama), the exhibition is co-organised by Art Nation, the Institut Français du Việt Nam and the Văn Miếu – Quốc Tử Giám Cultural and Scientific Activity Centre.

Allusive Panorama is the first major retrospective of Emperor Hàm Nghi’s artwork to be shown in the capital. It follows its landmark success at Kiến Trung Palace in the ancient citadel of Huế, which welcomed over 110,000 visitors.

The exhibition will present 20 original works, meticulously gathered from ten private collections. These pieces have been repatriated, authenticated, preserved and restored by leading experts. It is co-curated by art researcher Ace Lê and Dr Amandine Dabat, a fifth-generation descendant of Emperor Hàm Nghi and author of the book Hàm Nghi: Exiled Emperor, Artist in Algeria.

“Emperor Hàm Nghi is well regarded as our national hero, who had issued the Cần Vương edict before being captured by the colonialist French and put to exile in Algeria until his last days," said Lê.

"However, his role in art history has not been properly recognised until recently. Few are aware that Hàm Nghi was the first Vietnamese painter to have received training under Western academia, a precursor to the Indochine art movement, which was the beginning of Vietnamese modern art.” 

Emperor Hàm Nghi (1871-1944) pictured with one of his paintings during his exile in Algeria. — File Photo

During his exile in Algeria, the emperor nurtured a silent dream of returning home, turning to painting as a way to express his inner thoughts.

“These works […] are, so to speak, an integral part of my life; I read on my canvases the vicissitudes of my sad thoughts, my joy and their thousand nuances, and I smooth over all the folds of my heart, one by one, and it is for me a source from which I draw both encouragement and consolation," reads a draft of a letter from Hàm Nghi to Colonel de Gondrecourt dated January 1, 1897 and taken from Dr Dabat's research.

Allusive Panorama is part of the celebrations marking the 950th anniversary of the Imperial Academy’s founding in 1076.

“An art event of such scale as Allusive Panorama makes a vital contribution to the journey of transforming this heritage site into a unique creative space," said Director of the Temple of Literature’s Cultural and Scientific Activity Centre Lê Xuân Kiêu.

"Displaying the former emperor’s works at the Temple of Literature is a tribute to the intellectual values that have always been cherished throughout our nation’s history. We believe this exhibition will establish the site as a premier destination for the public during this year’s festivities, continuing to nurture our cultural heritage.”

Landscape with Cypress Trees (Menthon-Saint-Bernard) by Hàm Nghi, 1906, oil on canvas, 27 x 40.5cm.

Director of the Institut Français du Vietnam Éric Soulier said he believed the exhibition will stand as a compelling testament to the convergence of art, history and the shared memory of Việt Nam and France.

"It offers the public a rare opportunity to engage with the deeply evocative perspective of former Emperor Hàm Nghi, both a singular historical figure and a gifted artist.

"The Institut Français du Việt Nam believes that this significant project has contributed, and will continue to contribute, to fostering cultural dialogue while underscoring the enduring ties between the two nations, particularly in the fields of art and heritage,” he added.

Alongside the main exhibition, events will feature a diverse programme of activities, including tours and talks led by the curatorial team and invited experts.

A special art roundtable will take place on April 25, inviting the public to explore the profound repatriation journey of these works while situating Emperor Hàm Nghi’s pivotal role within the trajectory of Vietnamese art history.

The event will be held at the Ngụy Như Kon Tum Hall, located on the historic campus shared by the Faculty of Chemistry at VNU's University of Science and the Hà Nội University of Pharmacy.

Hàm Nghi was the eighth emperor of the Vietnamese Nguyễn Dynasty (1802-1945), but reigned for only one year (1884-1885).

After the failure of the Cần Vương (Save the King) movement against French colonial rule, the emperor was captured and exiled to Algeria, then a French colony, on December 12, 1888.

While exiled in Algiers, he learned painting and sculpture techniques from the artist Marius Reynaud and dedicated his entire life to intense artistic activities as a painter, pastellist and sculptor.

He made several trips to France under close surveillance, where he met artists like Foujita and Rodin and the poet Judith Gautier. — VNS