Chinese Art History

Painted Pottery Vessel with Geometric Pattern. Banpo, Yangshao Culture, ca. 5000 BCE

Painted Pottery Vessel with Spiral Pattern. Miaodigou, Yangshao Culture, ca. 4000 BCE

Painted Pottery Vessel with Spiral Pattern. Majiayao Culture, ca. 3300 BCE

Painted Pottery Vessel with Geometric Pattern. Dawenkou Culture, ca. 3000 BCE

White pottery pitcher. Dawenkou Culture, ca. 3000 BCE.

Black pottery cup. Longshan Culture, ca. 4000 BCE

Jade cong tube, Liangzhu Culture, ca. 3000-2500 BCE

Jade Pig-dragon, Hongshan Culture, ca. 4000 BCE

Head. Hongshan Culture, ca. 3500 BCE

Bronze jue-cup from Erlitou, Henan province, late Xia or early Shang dynasty, 1st half of the 2nd millennium BCE.

Square bronze ding vessel decorated with Loher style 1 motifs, early-mid Shang dynasty, mid-2nd millennium BCE.

Bronze jia vessel decorated with Loehr style 2 motifs, early-mid Shang, mid-2nd millennium BCE.

Bronze jia vessel decorated with Loehr style 4 motifs, mid-late Shang, mid-late 2nd mullennium BCE

Square bronze yi vessel decorated with Loehr style 5 motifs, late Shang dynasty, 13th-12th century BCE

Owl-shaped bronze vessel from Fu Hao's tomb, Anyang period, late Shang, c. 13th century BCE

Bronze statue, Sanxingdui culture, Sichuan, late Shang-early Zhou, end of the 2nd millennium BCE.

Bronze guang vessel (flamboyant style), early Western Zhou, 11th-10th century BCE.

Bronze gui vessel (paired-bird motif), mid-Western Zhou, 10th-9th century BCE

Bonze gui vessel with simplified decoration, late Western Zhou, 9th-8th century BCE

Bronze hu vessel with interlaced motifs, late Western Zhou, 9th-8th century BCE

Bronze pan vessel with a long commemorative inscription, late Western Zhou, 9th-8th century BCE.

Bronze ding vessel, early Eastern Zhou, 6^th c. BCE

Bronze hu vessel, early Eastern Zhou, 6^th c. BCE

Bronze zun vessel in shape of the bird, early Eastern Zhou, 6^th c. BCE

Bronze zun and pan set with openwork ornament, mid-Eastern Zhou, 5^th c. BCE

Screen foot with bronze tiger with gold and silver inlays, late Eastern Zhou, 4^th c. BCE

Lamp with bronze figure with silver inlays, late Eastern Zhou, 4^th c. BCE

Bronze hu vessel with abstract silver inlays, late Eastern Zhou, 4^th c. BCE

bronze hu vessel with pictorial copper inlays, mid-Eastern Zhou, 5^th c BCE

Silk funerary banner representing a lady with a phoenix, late Eastern Zhou, 3^rd c. BCE

Silk funerary banner representing a gentleman driving a dragon, late Eastern Zhou, 3^rd c. BCE

Bronze ding vessel with long inscriptions on the exterior face, late Eastern Zhou, 4^th-3^rd c BCE.

Terra-cotta army soldier, Qin, 221-210 BCE

Terra-cotta acrobats, Qin, 221-210 BCE

Miniaturized bronze chariot, Qin, 221-210 BCE

Clay tomb figurines, Western Han, early 2nd c. BCE

Painted lacquer coffin with cloud patterns, Western Han, early 2nd c. BCE

Painted lacquer tripod with cloud patterns, Western Han, early 2nd c. BCE

Inlaid bronze rhino-shaped cup with cloud patterns, Western Han, 2nd c. BCE

Wall painting depicting the god Fuxi, Western Han, 1st c. BCE

Clay tomb figurine depicting a dancing girl, Western Han, early 2nd c. BCE

Clay tomb figurine depicting a musician, Eastern Han, 1st c. CE

Bamboo slips with writing in cursive script, Eastern Han, 1st c. CE  

Nested painted coffins, Mawangdui Tomb 1, Western Han, early 2nd c. BCE

Painted silk banner, Mawangdui Tomb 1, Western Han, early 2nd c. BCE

Painting on the inlaid bronze chariot pole, Western Han, 1st c BCE

Jade suit, Mancheng Tomb 1, Western Han, 113 BCE.

Gilt bronze incense burner, Western Han, 2nd c. BCE

Stone animal guardian, Eastern Han, 1st c. CE.

Homage scene, stone relief from the Wu family shrines, Eastern Han, 2nd c. CE

Jing Ke assassinating the First Emperor scene, stone relief from the Wu family shrines, Eastern Han, 2nd c. CE

Stone pillar tower, Eastern Han, 1st c. CE

Dunhuang Cave 275, with Maitreya Buddha, 4th c. CE

Dunhuang Cave 249, with Asura on the ceiling, mid-6th c. CE

Dunhuang Cave 249, with Queen Mother of the West on the ceiling, mid-6th c. CE

Dunhuang Cave 285, Conversion of 500 bandits, Northern Wei, 5th c. CE

Yungang Cave 20, with giant buddha, Northern Wei, 460-480 CE

Sculpture of Bodhisattva (or Maitreya Buddha), Yungang, Northern Wei, 480-490 CE

Sculpture of Vimalakirti, Longmen, Northern Wei, early 6th c. CE

Rock-cut relief of Empress worshipping the Buddha, Longmen, Northern Wei, early 6th c. CE 

Rock-cut relief of celestial beings (apsarases), Northern Wei, early 6th c. CE

Brick relief of the Seven Sages of Bamboo Grove (detail), Southern Qi, late 5th c. CE

Attributed to Gu Kaizhi: Admonitions of the Instructress to Palace Ladies, 5th century. "Adorning the Face."

Attributed to Gu Kaizhi: Admonitions of the Instructress to Palace Ladies, 5th century. "Seducing Gentleman"

Attributed to Gu Kaizhi: Admonitions of the Instructress to Palace Ladies, 5th century. Lady Ban's refusal to Emperor Cheng

Attributed to Gu Kaizhi: Admonitions of the Instructress to Palace Ladies, 5th century.

Attributed to Gu Kaizhi: Nymph of the Luo River (6th century), 12th c. copy.

Leading horses. Mural in Lou Rui's painted tomb, Taiyuan, Northern Qi, 6th c. CE. 

Attributed to Gu Kaizhi: Nymph of the Luo River (6th century), 12th c. copy. "Encountering the Nymph."

Wang Xizhi, Ritual to Pray for Good Harvest, in cursive script, Tang tracing copy, 7th c. CE

Wang Xizhi, Orchid Pavilion Preface, in running script, 353 AD, Tang tracing copy, 7th c. CE

Lacquer painted screen, Sima Jinlong's tomb, late 5th c. CE. Detail of "Lady Ban's refusal to Emperor Cheng."

Great Wild Goose Pagoda, Tang, 7th c. CE

Gold bowl with repoussé ornament (side view), Tang, 8th c. CE

Gold bowl with repoussé ornament (bottom view), Tang, 8th c. CE

Three-color porcelain horse, Tang, 8th c. CE 

Yan Zhenqing, Duobao (Abundant Treasures) Pagoda Stele, Regular script, Tang, 752 CE

Huai Su, Autobiography, Wild-cursive script, Tang, 777 CE

Nanchan Monastery, Tang, 8th c. CE

Great Buddha, Longmen Cave Complex, Tang, late 7th c. CE

Western Paradise, mural from Dunhuang Cave 172, Tang, 7th-8th c. CE

Zhou Fang, Ladies with Followers in their Hair, Tang, 8-9th c. CE original, 10th c. copy

Bodhisattva, sculpture from Dunhuang Cave 45, Tang, 7th-8th c. CE

Bodhisattva, mural from Dunhuang Cave 57, Tang, 7th c. CE

Han Gan, Man herding horse, ink and color on silk, Tang, 8th c. CE 

Emperor Huizong (r. 1101-25), Five Colored Parakeet, late 12th c. CE.

Attributed to Su Shi, Rock and Tree, 11th c. CE.

Gu Hongzhong, Night Entertainment of Han Xizai, 12th c. copy of 10th c. original.

Gu Hongzhong, Night Entertainment of Han Xizai, 12th c. copy of 10th c. original. Detail, "Listening to Music."

Poem by Su Shi, Calligraphy by Emperor Lizong, and painting by Xia Gui (Saiboat  in Rainstorm, 13th c. CE)

Attributed to Emperor Huizong, Court Ladies Preparing Newly Woven Silk, 12th c. CE.

Li Song, Knick-knack peddler, 1210 CE.

Zhang Zeduan, Spring Festival on the River, 1120 CE.

Mi Fu, Letter about Coral Tree, 11th c. CE

Fan Kuan, Travelers Among Mountains and Streams, early 11 c. CE

Guo Xi, Early Spring, 1072 CE.

Ma Yuan, Walking on a Mountain Path in Spring, 13th c. CE

Gong Kai, Emaciated Horse, late 13th century

Qian Xuan, Wang Xizhi Gazing at Geese, Yuan, late 13th century

Zhao Mengfu, Autumn Colors on the Qiao and Hua Mountains, Yuan, 1295