Page 64 - 香港浸會大學16-17

4. Funded Research Projects

abandoned in the last decade. In view of this, this research project intends to

examine the works and contribution of this group of Hong Kong artists so as to
strengthen our understanding in the history of Hong Kong art. The research
outcome of this project will definitely enhance the archival collection of the HKMA.

In addition, the outcome will help to open up the possibility of exhibiting works

of this group of early Hong Kong artists in future, which is one of the missions of
the museum.

4.33 Picturing China: A study of the visual representations of

the 18th and 19th century China Coast (on-going
project)

Principal Investigator: Dr. Jack Lee

Research Assistant Professor, Cross-Cultural Studies
Working Group of LEWI
Source of Funding: GRF, RGC, HK

Amount Awarded: HKD334,500

Brief Introduction:

The major goal of this research project is to investigate the art and cultural,
socioeconomic-political aspects of 18th and 19th century China (namely the late

Qing period) through the study of visual images, including paintings, drawings,
prints and photographs that were produced during this period. As a cross-cultural

and interdisciplinary research topic, this study focuses on the landscapes
depicted in the late Qing China coast specifically Canton, Hong Kong, Macao,

and Shanghai. These places were open to foreigners during the late Qing period,
first for trading and later for political reasons due to the decline of the Imperial
Court. Landscapes produced in the form of paintings and photographs related

to these places, by Chinese and Western professional artists, travellers or
amateurs, were well received by foreigners, hence they were produced in large

numbers in the last two centuries. Interestingly, the making of these landscapes
changed over time, indicating the rise and fall of the significance of a certain

place. The artistic representation of these landscapes also changed during
different stages of development, showing that both the Chinese and Westerners

had different ways of seeing China over time. Thus, to investigate the
topographical depictions of the China coast not only enables us to understand

59 HONG KONG BAPTIST UNIVERSITY | David C. Lam Institute for East-West Studies