After drawing more than 110,000 visitors at Kien Trung Palace in Hue in March 2025, “Allusive Panorama - Sky, Mountains and Water” will make its second stop at Temple of Literature, one of the capital’s most iconic historical sites, on April 14.

Co-organised by Art Nation, the French Institute in Vietnam, and the Van Mieu–Quoc Tu Giam Centre for Cultural and Scientific Activities, the event marks the first large-scale exhibition of Emperor Ham Nghi’s artworks ever held in Hanoi under international curatorial standards.

The exhibition will introduce 20 paintings drawn from 10 private collections. These works have been repatriated, authenticated, preserved and restored by leading experts, offering the public a rare opportunity to access the artistic legacy of the former emperor.

The display is co-curated by art researcher Ace Le and Dr. Amandine Dabat, a fifth-generation descendant of Emperor Ham Nghi and author of the book “Ham Nghi – Emperor in Exile, Artist in Algiers.”

Beyond the main display, the event will include a series of side activities such as guided tours and talks led by curators and experts, providing deeper insights into the historical and artistic significance of the works.

A special art talk is scheduled for April 25 at the Nguy Nhu Kon Tum Hall, located within the campuses of the Hanoi University of Science and the Hanoi University of Pharmacy. The session will explore the journey of the artworks’ return to Vietnam and reassess Emperor Ham Nghi’s place in the history of Vietnamese fine arts.

Éric Soulier, director of the French Institute in Vietnam, described the exhibition as a vivid example of the intersection between history, art and shared memory between Vietnam and France.

According to him, the event offers audiences an emotional perspective on Emperor Ham Nghi, a unique historical figure who was also a talented artist. He added that such initiatives help foster cultural dialogue and highlight enduring ties between the two countries, particularly in the fields of art and heritage.

The exhibition will last through to May 10 at the Temple of Literature in Hanoi.

Emperor Ham Nghi’s paintings to be exhibited in Hue

VOV.VN - A non-commercial exhibition showcasing original oil landscape paintings by Emperor Ham Nghi, created during his years in exile, will open to the public at Kien Trung Palace (Hue Imperial City) in late March.