Description
Book SynopsisChinese Antiquities: An Introduction to the Art Market provides an essential guide to the growing market for Chinese antiquities, encompassing all sectors of the market, from Classical Chinese paintings and calligraphy to ceramics, jade, bronze and ritual sculpture.
The different Western and Chinese perceptions of Chinese art are examined in detail throughout the book to provide an understanding of how the market for Chinese antiquities has developed over the last century. An historical analysis of the issues surrounding the infamous Yuanmingyuan incident of 1860, in which foreign troops plundered cartloads of Imperial Chinese treasures and shipped them to Europe, sets the scene for the current trend in China for patriotic art investments and the repatriation of national treasures. The rise of the Chinese auction houses, and the growing prominence of Chinese art as one of the top commodities in the international art market, are also examined, bringing into question whether this recent phenomenon is merely a short-lived trend or a long-term fixture of the twenty-first century art market.
Aimed at current and aspiring collectors, investors and galleries interested in Chinese antiquities, the book sets out to demystify the process of buying and selling in the Asian context, highlighting Asia-specific issues that market-players might encounter and making this category of art more accessible to newcomers to the market.
Trade Review'The publication of Chinese Antiquities... has filled a gap in the literature and established the Chinese art market as a global historical phenomenon worthy of study in its own right... this book would be an ideal introduction to anyone wishing to pursue a career in the market for Chinese art.' The Art Newspaper
Table of ContentsContents: Foreword; Introduction; Chronology of China; Part One - A Global Trade: Chapter 1: Geopolitical Issues for the PRC in the 21st Century; Chapter 2: Historical Trade in Chinese Material Culture; Chapter 3: The Global Market Today; Part Two - Chinese Art Market Sectors: Chapter 4: The Market for Traditional Painting and Calligraphy; Chapter 5: The Market for Ceramics; Chapter 6: The Market for Decorative Works of Art; Part Three - The Structure of the Market: Chapter 7: Museums & Public Collections; Chapter 8: Collectors and the Art of Collecting Chinese Antiquities; Chapter 9: Chinese Art & Antique Dealers; Chapter 10: Chinese Art Auctions; Conclusion; Notes; Bibliography; Appendix A: Museums and Collections with Chinese Art; Appendix B: Dealers of Chinese Art; Index.
