Chinese Art Resources
Chinese art, as James Cahill points out, "...is the only tradition in the world art that can rival the European painting tradition in the sheer quantity and diversity of its output, the number of recorded artists of note, and the complexity of aesthetic issues attached to it, as well as the sophistication of the written literature that accompanies it through the centuries."
Looking for references that are fundamental and critical to the study of Chinese art? You are in the right place. An earlier version of this Chinese Art Bibliography was originally compiled by Dr. Wei Yang, Chinese Art Bibliographer, for students in Asian Art at Princeton University. Intended for use by anyone interested in Chinese art and aesthetics, this new version provides fundmental references critical to the study of Chinese art.
Chinese Art History
Bibliography | Art Theory and Critics | Painting Materials | Scroll Mountings | China: Art History Resources
Important Chinese Art Collections (Online)
Orientations is a magazine designed for connoisseurs, dealers and collectors of Asian art. It offers articles on art, exhibitions, and collections, and provides updates on major auctions in London, New York, Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, and elsewhere.
The Palace Museum, Beijing is one of the most important collection in the world dedicated to Chinese art. Its collection of classical Chinese painting makes it one of the best Chinese art collections in the world .
The Shanghai Museum is one of the most important collections of Chinese art worldwide. It concentrates on literati paintings of the 13th and the 14th centuries.
The Tokyo National Museum has one of the best Chinese art collections, including paintings, calligraphy and decorative arts, of the Song (960-1279), Yuan (1279-1368), Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911).
The British Museum (London) has the most conprehensive collection of Chinse art. Its Dunhuang collection is of particular research value, including stencils, illustrated manuscripts, silk and paper banner paintings from Dunhuang Library Cave 17 (discovered in 1900).
Freer and Sackler Galleries (Washington,D.C.) distinguishes itself from other museums dedicated to Asian art and Chinese art by housing many rare classical Chinese paintings and art objects. Their landscape paintings, figure paintings, Buddhist art, and flowers and bird paintings are among the best worldwide.
The National Palace Museum, Taipei houses a wide range of important classical Chinese paintings and imperial art objects. Its landscape paintings, figure paintings, Buddhist art, and decorative arts are critical to the study of Chinese material culture in the ancient times.
Collection of Classical Chinese Paintings presents famous traditional Chinese paintings currently housed in the Museum of Fine Arts (Boston).
Recommended Chinese Painting Restoration Labs
http://www.asianartrestoration.com/ specializes in the care and conservation of Asian scroll paintings.
http://www.umma.umich.edu/collections/conservation_lab/eastasian.html The Asian Painting Conservation Lab is among the great resources at UMMA, one of the best restoration facilities in the United States.
http://www.explorasia.org/visitor/dcsrEastasian.htm The East Asian Painting Conservation Studio is devoted to the conservation of East Asian paintings with traditional methods.
http://www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk/the_museum/departments/conservation,_doc_science.aspx. The British Museum has an extensive and highly proficient conservation department, primarily concerned with conservation of Asian art antiquities.
http://www.clevelandart.org/exhibcef/consexhib/html_kiosk/a2staff.html The Cleveland Museum of Art offers professional conservation services. Treatments are undertaken to stabilize objects and to recover aesthetic integrity as much as possible.
http://www.nationalmuseum.cn/en/survey/introduction/index.jsp The National Museum of China has a professional team and first-class equipment for conservation and repair of antiquities.
http://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/aboutus/conservation The Art Gallery of New South Wales employs one dozen people specializing in different areas of art conservation. It is recognized as a center of excellence.
http://www.getty.edu/conservation/ The Museum's four conservation departments - Antiquities, Paintings, Decorative Arts and Sculpture, and Paper - play a vital role in its efforts to exhibit and interpret its collections.
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