The collection, including a tea tray, a pipe and a set of Chinese books, was delivered by Dr. Amandine Dabat - the fifth generation descendant of King Ham Nghi, to the Vietnamese Embassy in Paris and the Vietnam Museum of Fine Arts from the end of September 2024.

The tray and pipe, made of mother-of-pearl inlaid wood, are exquisitely designed, with the tray measuring over 31 cm long, over 18 cm wide and 10 cm high. The Chinese book set consists of three volumes: Royal Canh Chuc Do (two chapters), Dan Do Huyen Chi (25 chapters) and Tang Dinh Thi Kinh The Chu Dien Nghia (five chapters).

Mr. Nguyen Anh Minh, Director of the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum, said that along with the above artifacts, the museum also received a rarely published painting of King Ham Nghi, first displayed around 1878. It is expected that on November 12, this painting will be introduced to the public in an announcement ceremony attended by Dr. Amandine Dabat.

Speaking about the significance of the event, Mr. Hoang Viet Trung, Director of the Hue Monuments Conservation Center, said that receiving the heritage of King Ham Nghi contributes significantly to the work of preserving heritage and honoring the historical values ​​of the nation.

This activity not only creates an opportunity for the public, especially the younger generation, to admire the relics but also to explore more deeply the life and talent of a patriotic and artistic king.

King Ham Nghi (1871–1944), real name Nguyen Phuc Ung Lich, ascended the throne in 1884 at the age of 13. He was the eighth emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty, famous for his patriotism and resistance against the French through the Can Vuong edict in Tan So (Quang Tri) in 1885. After being captured and exiled in Algeria, the king's painting talent was discovered, leaving his mark in his works of art.

Van Anh