Seventeenth-Century Chinese Painting

This seminar will examine Chinese paintings primarily in Japanese and American collections. The aim of the course is to become familiar with the major painters of the seventeen century from Dong Qichang, whose history of Chinese painting still influences how we view paintings today, to his followers and imitators, and further to the scholar-painters who found ways to express resistance to the Manchu conquest at the middle of the century, and finally to imperial court painters. We will look at a wide variety of painting genres and formats. Special attention will be given to the way paintings are presented, from the outside title slip to the inner title sheet to seals and colophons. We will also consider the artists’ intended audience.