Chinese art is the broad term for the painting, calligraphy, ceramics, bronzes, jade, lacquer, textiles, furniture and other works produced in China over several thousand years. It is one of the richest and most continuous artistic traditions in the world, with techniques and styles often developed and refined over many centuries.
Early highlights include Neolithic pottery, the ritual bronzes of the Shang and Zhou dynasties and the tomb figures of the Han and Tang periods. Painting and calligraphy, practised by scholar-artists, were regarded as the highest arts. Ceramics reached great heights with the celadons and monochromes of the Song dynasty, the blue and white of the Ming and the enamelled porcelains of the Qing. In the West, Chinese art was first known through export wares such as porcelain, lacquer, wallpaper and silk, which inspired the fashion for chinoiserie. Today Chinese works of art are among the most actively traded in the international market, with strong demand from collectors in China itself. Authenticity is a major concern, since later copies and reproductions are common, and reign marks cannot be taken at face value. Specialist advice and good provenance are essential.
