History of Chinese and Japanese Art

The course is constituted of two parts, each running in consecutive semesters: the first semester will cover China, while the second one will cover Japan. This course cannot be attended as a single course; students will need to attend both semesters to pass the course exam.
The aim of the course is to provide students with a general knowledge of Chinese art and archaeology from the Neolithic period to the Tang Dynasty. Subsequent periods will be briefly analysed in relation to long-distance Eurasian connections, as well as the influence that past artistic production had on shaping modern Chinese art and culture.

Students will gain a general knowledge of the development of Chinese Art History and Archaeology from the Neolithic to the Tang Dynasty.
Students will develop a foundational knowledge of
- art and archaeology terminology specific to China;
- major Chinese works of art, artists and artistic styles from the periods studied;
- key archaeological sites and the production techniques related to Chinese material culture.
The course will emphasise the contextualization of the artistic production system: by re-placing objects in their original context, students will acquire adequate tools to understand why they were made, for whom, and by whom. This will allow students to understand, recognize and contextualize in time and space works of art, sites, styles, artists and consumers.