The history of visual arts in China is exceedingly rich, and developed in response to Neolithic, theocratic and feudal society respectively to find their most distinctive expression in painting, itself intimately linked through calligraphy, to a strong literary tradition. It is a culture further surrounded and extended by a rich tradition of decorative and applied arts, and sufficiently sophisticated to evolve theories of art criticism and connoisseurship long before the West seriously reflected on such matters. Thus any understanding of Chinese art places great demands upon scholarship, and it is an indication of the limitations of a single volume devoted to its entire breadth that the author, however knowledgeable, leaves us with a somewhat unbalanced account. While the barest reference to k'o-ssu tapestry or cloisonné enamels will irritate many, those who know nothing of oriental art should learn a lot from this book.

Thames & Hudson, £5.95

Antique Collector, September, 1980