Conceptual portrait of Empress Nam Phuong (1913 - 1963), the last Empress of Vietnam.
Vietnam was a French colony. Coming from a rich family, Nam Phuong had the French education: she studied in Paris, was Catholic, spook perfect French, loved French culture. When meeting with Bao Dai, the young king, who also had French education, they spook in French, and because of that Bao Dai felt very at ease with her. The marriage at first did not receive support from Vatican and the royal court and the royal family. Hated by her mother in law, assumed enormous responsibilities and under giantic pressure because of her Queen title, she dreamed of her free-westerned-self.
Gouache on Arches watercolor paper. Personal project.
