ROYAL CARMINE IMPERIAL

Like a beam of sunlight breaking through the darkness, Royal emerges from its background to make a dynamic statement. The bright citrine merges the color of lucky apricot blossoms with the sweetness of honey. From the golden architecture of the royal palace in Hue to the regal beauty of the robes of Vietnamese emperors from times past, yellow is a color that has symbolized royalty for centuries.

A flash of carmine red bends shadow and light like the sharp fold of origami. This artistic work is a nod to traditional Japanese and Vietnamese art forms. Inspired by the feminine lines of the ao dai, Vietnam’s traditional dress, as well as the Japonisme trend that added style and texture to the oeuvres of the Impressionist painters. Red is the color of prosperity in Asia. It is often used to bring luck for the lunar New Year as well as for nuptial celebrations.

The elegance of Imperial blue glimmers in the dark, hinting at a royal bloodline from a vanished Dynasty. The symbolic presence of the ao dai and non la hat add Vietnam’s historical presence within a black background that is an homage to 19th-century Japonisme. Blue is a symbol of hope and peace in Vietnam.

Inspiration

The symbolic presence of Vietnam’s cultural icons in Imperial, Carmine and Royal stand out within an inky background that is a nod to 19th-century Japanese art forms. The style of traditional Japanese prints broke many of the academic art rules that had thus far controlled the ways that painters were allowed to compose and realize their works. Some of these departures from the European norm included closely cropped perspectives, a sense of verticality, that can be found in the kakemono hanging scrolls that often adorn the entrances to Japanese homes, and the negative space around the subjects that was so precious to Japanese artists. Take a deeper look at Carmine, Royal, and Imperial to try to see how some of these artistic principles inspired the compositions.

Creation

“Carmine” and the artistic works “Imperial” and “Royal” form a triptych in homage to the movement of Japonisme. They use empty space in the background, verticalism, and colors that symbolize power in Asian cultures. In addition, they merge the iconic symbols of Vietnam—the ao dai and non la hat—with the use of a folding fan, a traditional Japanese art form. The photos were taken in a temple in Hoi An, with natural light. The dark interior of the temple contrasts with the high luminosity of mid-day.

Réhahn

Interested in Learning More About the Artistic Movements that Inspired Réhahn’s Ongoing IMPRESSIONIST Series?

Here is a condensed list of some of the books that the artist used to gather inspiration

“Journal de Julie Manet”

Written by Julie Manet between 1893-1899

Published by Mercure de Fran, 2017.

“The Complete Letters of Vincent Van Gogh” (3 Volumes)

Written by Vincent Van Gogh between 1872-1890

Published by Bulfinch Press; 2nd edition, 1991.

“Le Japon à Paris - Japonais et Japonisants de L'ère Meiji aux Années 1930” by Brigitte Koyama-Richard

Published by Scala, 2018

“Japonismes/Impressionnismes” by Marina Ferretti Bocquillon

Published by Gallimard, 2018.

“The French Impressionist” by Camille Mauclair

Published by Good Press, 1903.

“Impressionism” by Nathalia Brodskaïa

Published by Parkstone International, 2019.

“Post-Impressionism” by Nathalia Brodskaïa

Published by Parkstone International, 2014.

“Impressionnisme et Japonisme” by Jean Colin

Published by Edilivre, 2015.

“Degas: Danse Dessin” by Paul Valery

Published by Gallimard, 2017.

Biography

Referred to as an artist who "captures the souls of his models" (Wanderlust Travel Magazine, 2018), the French photographer Réhahn is more than just a man behind a camera. Behind each click is a story. Whether the photograph shows a child with startling blue eyes, a woman pulling a needle through indigo fabric or a man walking alone down a brightly painted street, these are more than just images to Réhahn. They are the culmination of an experience. The stories of his subjects as well as his passion to learn more about their culture, diversity and changing traditions are what drives Réhahn’s work throughout Vietnam, India, Cuba and beyond.

Réhahn’s unique combination of Fine Art photography and Documentary styles results in images that both inform and mesmerize. His portraits are prized for this reason. They take the viewer along on the voyage to catch a glimpse of authentic interactions with people, their smiles, their wisdom, their daily lives.

In 2011, Réhahn moved from France to Hoi An, Vietnam. His portraits, lifestyle, and landscape photographs of the country were immediately met with international recognition. His now iconic portrait of 72-year-old tour boat captain Bui Thi Xong “Hidden Smile” was particularly well-received, with more than 80 articles and 10 television interviews for this photo alone. In 2015, the portrait was inaugurated into the permanent collection of The Asian House Museum in Havana, Cuba, alongside the artist’s renowned photograph “Best Friends” of a Mnong child with her elephant. For International Women's Day 2016, the portrait was placed in the permanent collection of the Hanoi Women's Museum. The final copy of the Limited Edition series became the most expensive photo sold in Asia when it was purchased by a private collector in 2019.

An equally memorable career moment took place in 2018 when “Hidden Smile” was given as a diplomatic gift from Former President of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong to French President Emmanuel Macron in celebration of 45 years of friendship between France and Vietnam.

“Hidden Smile” was used as the cover image of the artist’s first Fine Art photography coffee table book, "Vietnam, Mosaic of Contrasts,” which has been a bestseller since 2014. Réhahn followed this success with two subsequent books, Volume ll” in 2015, and Volume III” in 2020. In 2019, he published “100 Iconic Portraits,” which became a bestselling collection of his portraits from India, Vietnam, Malaysia and more.

To date, Réhahn has been featured in international media totalling more than 600 articles and interviews (most notably Condé Nast Traveler, The New York Times, National Geographic, and BBC among others), along with over 50 television appearances.

Réhahn’s Fine Art photography collections are exhibited at his art galleries in Hoi An and Saigon. His latest works center around certain principles of the Impressionist style of painting. The images, which merge texture, color, light and reflections, have started a new movement in photography. In addition to his galleries, Réhahn opened the Precious Heritage Cultural Museum and Art Gallery in Hoi An in 2017 to share his portraits of Vietnam’s diverse ethnic groups, their traditional costumes, stories, music, and artefacts. The museum is free to the public.