Collecting China

In this course we will delve into the world of Chinese art collecting, from its beginnings a thousand years ago in China's imperial palaces to the present-day?art market in Europe and North America. By studying objects, correspondence, catalogues, and recent scholarship, we will untangle the web of art dealers, collectors, and curators who formed the major U.S. collections of Chinese art in the twentieth century. We will also problematize early collectors’ perceptions of “the Orient” and the illicit export of antiquities. Each student will investigate a group of objects dispersed throughout Western museums, and as a class we will compile our findings into a digital exhibition project. 3 hrs. sem.