Arts of China to AD 900

Watson William

This is a survey of China's wealth of art, architecture and artefacts from prehistoric times to the 20th century. It investigates the beginnings of the traditions on which much of the art rests, moving from Neolithic and Bronze Age China to the era of the Tang Dynasty around AD 900. The book discusses in detail a wide range of art forms and techniques: porcelain and pottery, lacquer art, religious and secular painting and sculpture, mural painting, monumental sculpture and architecture. It explains the materials and techniques of bronze casting, jade carving, pottery manufacture, and other arts and describes the most important sites, the artefacts that were produced at each one, and the historical interactions between different areas. There is a discussion of the iconography, the technique and the function of every art form. This book should be a valuable resource for both experts and beginners in the field.

Reviews

"William Watson's sumptuous new book presents a comprehensive account of the arts of China to the end of the Tang dynasty. The book combines fine scholarship with reproductions of the latest archaeological finds, images of objects in Western museums, and good maps and diagrams... This is a richly illustrated and thoughtful history that will reward the reader new to Chinese art as well as the more seasoned devotee" – Candace J. Lewis, New Asia Review

"The reader will find nearly four hundred of the objects and monuments that narrate the history of Chinese art, and one will also learn more about Chinese ceramics and metalwork than is available in most comparable surveys. Moreover, one will learn all of this through beautifully written prose" – Nancy Shatzman Steinhardt, China Review International

"This is a rich book... Keen readers should not neglect the footnotes, which often contain useful information and interesting analysis. The glossary and bibliography are set in both western and Chinese scripts, which makes life much easier for students" – Wang Tao, Art Newspaper Winner of a Choice 1996 Outstanding Academic Book Award

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