Old Masters Repainted

Old Masters Repainted is art history at its most basic, formalist level, and the first in-depth exposition of the nature and function of posthumous attributions in Chinese painting. In a revolutionary case study on the Yuan dynasty Daoist recluse Wu Zhen (1280–1354), Stanley-Baker methodically excavates from a group of attributions the true identity of the master, illumines the nature and quality of his unique brilliance, and exposes the roles and times of his diverse impersonators.

This singular and provocative detective work adds exciting new dimensions to the appreciation and study of medieval painting. In the breadth and depth of its probing, this book breaks the confines of Chinese painting history and will be enjoyed by all readers interested in old masters regardless of period or country.

Joan Stanley-Baker was born Hsu Hsiao-hu (Xu Xiaohu) in Nanking of Chinese and European parents. She grew up in Europe, China and America, and obtained her D.Phil. From the University of Oxford. She wrote several catalogues for the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria in British Columbia where she was inaugural Curator of Asian Art. She has taught Chinese and Japanese art history at National Taiwan University and the University of Melbourne. Recently she served as Director of the University Arts Centre at National Tsing Hua University in Taiwan, where she teaches at the Centre for General Education.