Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

In Lü Peng's A History of Art in 20th Century China, we at last possess a comprehensive and definitive account of the extraordinary development of Chinese art in the last century, written by its foremost expert. In over 1,200 pages of fully illustrated close analysis, Lü Peng traces the evolution of modern Chinese art, tackling its emergence not only in China, Taiwan and Hong Kong, but also in such important expat centers as Paris and Tokyo. Among the many artists encountered en route are Huang Yongping, Gu Wenda, Xu Bing, Zhang Xiaogang, Wang Guangyi, Fang Lijun, Yue Minjun, Zhou Chunya and over 200 other artists.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Library Journal Review

It has been said that you can never have too much of a good thing. Even at nearly 1300 pages, this book epitomizes that quote. Lu Peng (art history & theory, China Acad. of Art, Hangzhou) addresses the complexity of issues affecting Chinese art but also brings forth the "history of the heart" of individual artists. He attempts a complete view of the period, including all the nuances that influenced the thousands of people represented. It is sweet and funny when he encourages "busy people" to skip the footnotes; most scholars will be pouring over them since so little has come from the mainland concerning artistic endeavors. A 1913 quote from artist Lu Xun reminds us that the term art was not even used in China before that time. The Chinese saw art as more a skill to be mastered than the idea of something beautiful. Beauty and skill are both evident here, thanks to a dedicated author who astounds with this seminal work. VERDICT Budget will largely dictate buying this, but scholars of art history and China will find it priceless.-Nadine Dalton Speidel, Cuyahoga Cty. P.L., Parma, OH (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

CHOICE Review

A leading authority of modern art in China, Lu (China Academy of Art, Hangzhou) has written the most extensive single-volume history on this subject to date. Organized chronologically, the book's 25 chapters begin with the Opium Wars and continue through the century, covering familiar topics (e.g., the Shanghai School, the Cultural Revolution, Xu Bing), while also including less common ones (e.g., China trade paintings, women's art, 789 as a symbol). Chapter 17 treats the work of Chinese artists in Taiwan and Hong Kong from 1950 to 1979, but Lu's focus is in the PRC, where the relationship between art (primarily painting) and politics drives the dramatic narrative. The author records artists' lives and interactions with intellectuals, politicians, and businessmen with meticulous detail, thereby capturing the dense network characteristic of Chinese society. Sheer size makes this book unwieldy as a textbook, but its copious illustrations alone--well over 1,500 historical photographs, color reproductions, and details--render this an indispensable resource. Bruce Doar (Australian Centre for Asian Art and Archaeology) is the executive translator of this magisterial 2009 Chinese text. Summing Up: Essential. Upper-level undergraduates through faculty/researchers. D. D. Lee Bowdoin College