Wei Yang, Ph.D. ASA, Asian Art Appraiser

The Essential Book for Chinese Painting

By Wei Yang, PH.D. ASA, ARM

Wei Yang’s Guide to Chinese Painting and Calligraphy, 2 vols. (2022; ISBN: 9787310062232) supplies the essentials for understanding, appreciating and appraising Chinese painting. It introduces the basics of Chinese painting and calligraphy and the practice of appraisal in 1,000-plus pages; it covers important Chinese painters’ biographies, stylistic analysis, seals, signatures and marketability. It was written by an accredited senior appraiser, art consultant, expert witness with over 20 years of experience.
Available at Amazon

Wei Yang’s Guide to Chinese Painting and Calligraphy, 2 vols. (2022) is intended for connoisseurs of Chinese painting, collectors, curators, appraisers, attorneys, other art professionals, students, scholars and anyone interested in Chinese art. Written by a practicing art appraiser with credentials unmatched in the field, it is the most up-to-date, comprehensive English-language reference for Chinese painting and calligraphy prior to 1911. Dr. Wei Yang has been an appraiser of Asian art (especially Chinese art), review appraiser, and expert witness for litigation for 20 years. Based on extensive research in Chinese sources and first-hand knowledge of art all over the world, this book is designed for readers who may not read or speak Chinese. Written from the perspective of a scholar, educator, art consultant and appraiser, the guidebook introduces the basics of Chinese painting and calligraphy and explains practical methodologies for appraising Chinese fine art.

The book covers the fundamentals of appraising premodern Chinese painting and calligraphy and offers workable guidelines. The heart of the book consists of artists’ biographies, stylistic analysis, information about seals, signatures and marketability. It discusses connoisseurship, art criticism, valuation criteria, art market trends and economics. It teaches readers how to verify information on authorship and date of creation and how to determine authenticity and forgery via stylistic analysis (brushstrokes, ink and color, signature and seal styles). Appendixes, bibliographies and indexes make it simple to consult.

APPRECIATE CHINESE ART

Wei Yang’s Guide to Chinese Painting and Calligraphy, 2 vols. (2022) is the only reference book you need if you wish to learn more about Chinese artistic traditions or develop a new expertise. Topics range from the biographies of important Chinese master painters, the basics of Chinese art criticism, esthetics, to the appraisal methodologies. If you wish to brush up your knowledge of Chinese painting and calligraphy, this is the one essential book you need.

The guidebook will be an indispensable, comprehensive reference work for your appraisal career. The appraisal profession desperately needs qualified specialists in Chinese painting and calligraphy. The book provides guidance and crucial information. Written by an accredited senior appraiser with 20 years of experience and unrivalled credentials, it offers the essential methods and information. You will benefit from the author’s hands-on experience and professional training, including a Ph.D. in Chinese Art History and two designations as accredited senior appraiser (ASA) in Asian art and Appraisal Review and Management (ARM).

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

EARN CREDENTIALS & PROFESSIONAL DESIGNATIONS

-Learning from the Best

Wei Yang’s Guide to Chinese Painting and Calligraphyis the best reference book on the connoisseurship and valuation of Chinese fine art. It helps anyone who wants to build their credentials in the appraisal of Chinese art. Clients place their trust in appraisers with formal training who have earned official designations. Your compliance with the highest professional standards is essential, including knowledge of Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) and related ethical codes. Professional designations and courses of study are provided by American Society of Appraisers (ASA), American Association of Appraisers (AAA) and International Society of Appraisers (ISA).

-Following the Guidelines for Evaluating Chinese painting and calligraphy:
The book is designed for you whether you are a novice excited about Chinese art or a professional who wants a comprehensive reference book. I wish there had been such a source when I began my career as an appraiser. I combed through many books in Asian and Western languages for clues to identify Chinese paintings. I studied how to assess the authenticity of inscriptions, signatures and seals. I conducted my own research to understand the biographies of famous painters, their artistic lineages, their personal styles and signature features. After amassing and editing my notes, I filled in the gaps in order to make this a comprehensive guide to Chinese painting and calligraphy prior to the twentieth century.

Available at Amazon

Based on My Own Training and Experience

-Practical and Applicable Methods

Wei Yang’s Guide to Chinese Painting and Calligraphy grew out of those years of research and decades of professional experience serving a wide range of clients in the Chinese art field. After my college degree (Smith College) and graduate education (M.A. in Asian art and Ph.D. in Chinese Art History, Northwestern University), I undertook training in the appraisal profession. Eventually, I earned two designations as Accredited Senior Appraiser (in Asian Art and in Appraisal Review and Management) from the American Society of Appraisers. Even after that, however, to study and appraise Chinese painting and calligraphy required still more research.

Wei Yang’s Guide to Chinese Painting and Calligraphy (2022) is the only reference book you need—whether you’re a general reader, a specialist honing your skills or just starting out in the valuation of Chinese fine art.

Available at Amazon

ARTICLE: FIVE MISTAKES

-"Five Mistakes in Appraising Premodern Chinese Paintings," ARM E-Journal 5, no. 1 (2021): 58-62.

Abstract: This article discusses the complexities of traditional Chinese painting, cultural traditions and visual aesthetics. It comments on how to avoid the five most serious errors in assessing the value of classical Chinese paintings. Some of these problems are particular to Chinese painting, but most crop up in other forms of valuation.