Visitors view artworks by Emperor Hàm Nghi at Trời, Non, Nước (Allusive Panorama) exhibition. — VNA/VNS Photo Khánh Hòa

HÀ NỘI — An exhibition showcasing notable paintings by Emperor Hàm Nghi (1871–1944) has opened at the historic Temple of Literature (Văn Miếu – Quốc Tử Giám), offering the public a rare opportunity to engage with his deeply evocative work.

Entitled Trời, Non, Nước (Allusive Panorama), the exhibition is organised by Art Nation, a bilingual art publication in Việt Nam, in collaboration with the Institut Français du Vietnam and the Văn Miếu – Quốc Tử Giám Cultural and Scientific Centre.

It is co-curated by art researcher Ace Lê and Dr Amandine Dabat, a fifth-generation descendant of Emperor Hàm Nghi and author of Hàm Nghi – Exiled Emperor, Artist in Alger.

The event is co-curated by art researcher Ace Lê and Dr Amandine Dabat – a fifth-generation descendant of Emperor Hàm Nghi. — Photo courtesy of the organisers

Allusive Panorama features 20 original works meticulously gathered from ten private collections. The pieces have been repatriated, authenticated, preserved and restored by leading experts.

Curated to international standards, the exhibition marks the first major retrospective of Emperor Hàm Nghi’s artworks to be staged in the capital, following its landmark success at Kiến Trung Palace in March 2025, which attracted more than 110,000 visitors.

“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 curator Ace Lê.

“However, historically, his role 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, precursoring the Indochine art movement, which was the beginning of Vietnamese modern art.”

Paysage Aux Cyprès (Menthon-Saint-Bernard) (Landscape with Cypress Trees (Menthon-Saint-Bernard)), oil on canvas, painted in 1906 by Emperor Hàm Nghi.

During his exile in Algeria, the Vietnamese Emperor constantly 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.” – Draft of a letter from Hàm Nghi to Colonel de Gondrecourt, January 1, 1897. BHN 4.14, FHN, excerpted from the research of Dr Amandine Dabat.

As part of the celebrations marking the 950th anniversary of the Imperial Academy’s founding (1076–2026), Director of the Temple of Literature’s Cultural and Scientific Activity Centre Lê Xuân Kiêu, said: “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.

"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.”

According to Éric Soulier, Director of the Institut Français du Vietnam, the exhibition stands 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 Vietnam 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 said.

The Allusive Panorama exhibition runs until May 10.

Soleil Couchant Sur La Campagne (Sunset over the Countryside)

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

A special art roundtable will take place at Ngụy Như Kon Tum Hall on April 25, located on the historic campus shared by the Faculty of Chemistry (VNU University of Science and Hanoi University of Pharmacy).

The session will invite the public to explore the complex repatriation journey of the works while placing Emperor Hàm Nghi’s contribution within the wider trajectory of Vietnamese art history.

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

Following 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 in exile in Algiers, he learned painting and sculpture techniques from artist Marius Reynaud and devoted his life to artistic practice as a painter, pastellist and sculptor.

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