Impressionism: From Photography to Painting

All of the photographs from this Impressionist series were created in and around Hoi An. Instead of relying on filters or heavy digital retouching, Réhahn chose to use nature itself as his main tool. Reflections on water, distortion created by heat or smoke, rain in the frame and the blur of movement all contribute to images that sometimes look almost like paintings. Bright complementary colors, pastoral scenes and everyday subjects echo the spirit of the Impressionist and Post-Impressionist masters while remaining rooted in contemporary photography.

The book also acknowledges the influence of Japonism on composition. Inspired by the way artists such as Degas borrowed from Japanese prints, Réhahn explores off-center framing, flat areas of color and the use of empty space. These choices give the photographs a tension and invite the viewer to look slowly, noticing how light shapes the scene.

In July 2025, Sylvain Amic, then President of the Musée d’Orsay and the Musée de l’Orangerie, wrote to Réhahn that he had read Impressionism: From Photography to Painting “with pleasure and interest” and congratulated him on the sincerity of his approach. Coming from a specialist of Impressionist painting, this recognition gives the project resonance.

Impressionism: From Photography to Painting is a meaningful gift for anyone who loves art, photography or Vietnam. The book can live on a coffee table or a desk, where its images may be opened again and again, offering small moments of reflection through color, light and the dialogue between past and present.

Author: Réhahn

Publisher: Dong Nai Publisher

Released Date: 2025

ISBN: 9786044221588