TOPICS: ARTS OF CHINA in Spring 2019 (AH2091A)

This course will provide a general understanding of Chinese culture through the study of objects produced over a span of three millennia. Thematically oriented, the course will extensively focus on specific objects on view in Parisian museums and form a basic understanding of the major artistic categories, such as bronze, porcelain, lacquer sculpture, painting and calligraphy. Students will acquire the analytical skills allowing them to situate objects in the cultural and historical context of production, and readings will not be limited to art historical texts. Function, technique and canon formation will also be considered, and practices of collection and display of Asian art in Western museum will be discussed.