HWS News
1 June 2023 • Faculty Blanchard Featured in Journal on Chinese Art
Research on historic painting is featured in international journal focused on Gender in China.
Professor of Art and Architecture Lara C. W. Blanchard’s work is featured in a collection as one of 25 articles from the first 25 volumes of the journal Nan Nü: Men, Women and Gender in China.
The article, “A Scholar in the Company of Female Entertainers: Changing Notions of Integrity in Song to Ming Dynasty Painting,” discusses the significance of the Ming dynasty painting “Su Dongpo Returning to the Hanlin Academy.” In the article, Blanchard discusses how the painting represents a departure from earlier images of prominent scholars, notably by showing the 11th century official Su Dongpo’s reinstatement in the capital and being accompanied by many female entertainers, which was considered inappropriate in earlier paintings.
The article is free to view until June 30.
Blanchard learned about the painting while studying as a doctoral student at the University of Michigan. Research on the painting began later after she was invited to participate in a symposium on Chinese painting. She spent several years revising and submitting the article to different journals for publication.
Looking back on when the article was first published in 2007, Blanchard says the attitudes about publishing on gender in Chinese art history has changed. When she was first trying to get the piece published, there was little interest in works focusing on the topic.
“It's nice to see there is a place for Chinese art historians working on gender to get their work published,” Blanchard says.
More background on Blanchard can be found here.
