Nguyễn Phúc Cảnh
Returned to lender
This work of art was on loan to the museum and has since been returned to its lender.Maupérin portrays the seven-year-old crown prince of Cochinchina (modern Vietnam) in a fanciful costume that conflates a Western silhouette with Eastern influences, including an intricately tied turban that inspired French wig designers, igniting a fashion craze. Rebellion at home had brought the prince to Versailles to seek aid in 1787, and he received an intimate reception; the prince played with the royal children but also met with dignitaries such as Thomas Jefferson. The mandarin’s hats on the table and chair may represent gifts he brought with him.
Artwork Details
- Title: Nguyễn Phúc Cảnh
- Artist: Maupérin
- Date: 1787
- Medium: Oil on canvas
- Dimensions: Framed: 69 1/8 × 45 11/16 in. (175.5 × 116 cm)
Unframed: 62 3/8 × 39 3/8 in. (158.5 × 100 cm) - Classification: Paintings
- Credit Line: Société des Missions Etrangères de Paris
- Curatorial Department: European Sculpture and Decorative Arts