Subject Policy Statement - FINE ARTS
A. Purpose and Program Description
The Libraries seeks to support research and teaching in all aspects of the history of Asian and Western art. Programs and courses include undergraduate and postgraduate (by research) courses up to Ph.D. in Chinese, Japanese and Western art history, art and society, architecture, photography, cross-cultural studies, museum studies, and a broadening course on art and society . Research focuses on Western, Chinese and Japanese paintings, religious iconography in early European art, Chinese and Japanese calligraphy, the visual representation of families and childhood in France and cross-cultural interactions in the 19th century, East/West cultural interaction, Hong Kong art and visual culture, Baroque and Renaissance art, representation of women in the visual arts, narrative art and narratology, garden art and architecture, Chinese ceramics and carvings, material culture studies, connoisseurship, Buddhist and Taoist sculpture, and Chinese photography.
Areas of established specialization are the classic works of the history of Chinese (including Hong Kong ) art, Japanese art, Western art from the Renaissance to the present day, and American art.
The Collection supports the needs of undergraduate, graduate and Ph.D. students, the teaching faculty, and many visiting researchers.
B. General Selection Guidelines (See Classed Analysis)
Overall, the Libraries' existing collection and acquisitions commitment, based upon available resources, and its collection goal for Fine Arts are all at the research level.
C. Specific Delimitations
- Formats collected: We collect monographs, annuals, reference tools, scholarly series, exhibition catalogues, periodicals, audio-visual materials, CD-ROMs and other electronic tools, and dissertations (other than HKU dissertations) selectively.
- Imprint Dates Collected: We collect current publications extensively and earlier publications selectively.
- Chronological Focus: We collect materials focusing on all chronological periods.
- Languages Collected: We collect English, Chinese, and Japanese materials extensively and other non-English language materials selectively.
- Place of Publication: We collect materials published in the United States, the United Kingdom, China and Japan extensively, and materials published elsewhere selectively.