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Displaying objects requires knowledge of curatorial practice in both the museum and commercial contexts. Courtesy of the Musée des arts asiatiques Guimet à Paris. Ceramics hold a special place in the Arts of China. The unique methods of production developed in China over many hundreds of years created an international market in porcelain and a whole branch of connoisseurship in ceramics which has led to such pieces being regarded as some of the greatest works of fine art ever produced in the world. Students gain the confidence to communicate and present the results of their research, developing knowledge about quality, rarity and value which is so important to art-world practice. Courtesy of the Musée des arts asiatiques Guimet à Paris.
A finely carved spinach-green jade boulder Qianlong Period (1736-1795) Chinese art is both the oldest and the newest art in the world. Rare large bronze ritual wine vessel and cover, You A Magnificent Imperial famille rose ‘deer’ vase, Hu
There is no substitute for being there An integral part of the Arts of China course is the two week field study which takes in Hong Kong, Beijing and Taipei. Your visit to Hong Kong will coincide with the major Christie’s sales and you will be able to preview the works being auctioned. Chinese art has been collected internationally for hundreds of years and full use is made of the great European collections. Students met with Chinese art expert John Finlay in Paris, where they also visited museums and special collections.
Object handling lies at the heart of all Chrisite’s Education courses. Sometimes two objects apparently from the same period might actually be hundreds of years apart. Authenticity is the most difficult thing to judge in Chinese art because of the traditions and continuity of production that is almost unbroken over hundreds of years. This is particularly true of Chinese jade. Examining a wide variety of object types enables students to discover the nuances of different media and styles.
Meeting artists and art-world practitioners helps students gain an informed understanding of the past and the present. Insights into curating are gained through access to private galleries as well as the auction house. Photo courtesy of Pékin Fine Arts. Lukas Nickel introduces students to the Christie’s warehouse. Regular visits to Christie’s salerooms with Christie’s specialists provides insights into the current market.

Postgraduate Diploma - Arts of China: Cultural Crossroads in Asia


If you want to gain a thorough knowledge of Chinese art and culture including cataloguing, reporting and writing about works of art, our Arts of China programme is ideal.

All the course work for this programme is directly related to a real-work experience. You will be asked to write reviews, artefact analyses, acquisition reports and curatorial reports. Your thesis will be a catalogue of an exhibition that you would like to stage. Whatever period of study you chose you will receive the same core training. We will teach you the Christie’s Auction House cataloguing procedures and you will be able to assess and write about all forms of art in the period you have chosen to study. As part of this course you will also be introduced to critical writing and thinking about art so that you can either enter the art-world immediately or go on to study further.

Course components

  • The core lecture series from the Neolithic period to the present underpins all components of the programme
  • You will participate in a study trip to China and regular visits to museums and collections throughout the year
  • Object-based study is central to our teaching and will provide you with relevant training for the public and commercial art worlds. This includes practical and research based study of materials and techniques, scientific analysis, style, dating, quality and authenticity
  • You will be trained in cataloguing to auction house and museum standards. Handling sessions and warehouse and museum visits all occur during the course
  • Being engaged with current debates about curating will enable you to devise fresh approaches to the display of art works. You'll explore practices in art criticism, developing skills to review exhibitions and produce reports
  • Our Culture and Ideology Seminars will enable you to discuss the relationship between specific objects and broader debates around ancient and modern Chinese art in small groups. You will acquire the skills to deliver presentations and generate seminar discussion
  • You'll be involved in Methodology Seminars - the analysis of technical, art-historical and interpretative texts that provide transferable skills for independent research and individual development
  • If you're doing a Master's degree you will prepare a thesis. This is your opportunity to create an exhibition on a small group of objects, independently researched and catalogued, where the key academic and professional skills learned on the programme are utilised.

Topics on this option

  • Neolithic and Bronze Age art, culture and burial practices
  • The establishment of lacquer, silk, jade and painting traditions
  • Buddhist art in China from the Han to the Qing dynasties
  • The Silk Road and the international status of ceramics, precious metals, paper making and printing
  • The golden age of the Song dynasty: ceramics, painting, calligraphy, lacquer and sculpture and the reinvention of the past
  • Liao and Yuan artistic production under foreign rule
  • The rise of Jingdezhen, China’s major porcelain centre
  • The re-establishment of Chinese rule under the Ming dynasty and its artistic expression
  • Imperial patronage of court and religious art, imperial academies and ateliers.
  • Exchange between China and the West and the export arts of China
  • The efflorescence of the arts during the reigns of the three great Qing emperors
  • Modern and contemporary art and society.

Entry requirements

A university degree or equivalent. We welcome students who have graduated in any arts discipline and mature students who may wish to combine their work experience with previous qualifications which may not have yet gained them a first degree. This diploma may then also be used to access Master’s level courses the following year. Non-English speaking students must have IELTS 7 or equivalent.

 

 

 

 

Postgraduate Diploma - Arts of China

Course Dates

Term 1

Thursday 29 September 2011
– Friday 09 December 2011

Term 2

Monday 09 January 2012
– Friday 16 March 2012

Term 3

Monday 23 April 2012
– Friday 29 June 2012

Course Fees

£20,000

Course Director

Nixi Cura

University of Glasgow

Visit the University of Glasgow’s website here.
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