In early nineteenth-century China, a remarkable transformation took place in the art world: artists among China’s educated elites began to use touch to forge a more authentic relationship to the past, to challenge stagnant artistic canons, and to foster deeper human connections. Networks of Touch is an engaging exploration of this sensory turn.

In this book, Michael J. Hatch examines the artistic network of Ruan Yuan (1764–1849), a scholar-official whose patronage supported a generation of artists and learned people who prioritized epigraphic research as a means of truing the warped contours of Confucian heritage. Their work instigated an “epigraphic aesthetic”―an appropriation of the stylistic, material, and tactile features of ancient inscribed objects and their reproductive technologies―in late eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century artwork. Rubbings, a reduplicative technology, challenged the dominance of brushwork as the bearer of artistic authority. While brushwork represented the artist’s physical presence through ink and paper, rubbings were direct facsimiles of tactile experiences with objects. This shift empowered artists and scholars to transcend traditional conventions and explore new mediums, uniting previously separate image-making practices while engaging audiences through the senses.

Centering on touch and presenting a fresh perspective on early nineteenth-century literati art in China, this volume sheds light on a period often dismissed as lacking innovation and calls into question optical realism’s perceived supremacy in reshaping the sensory experience of the modern Chinese viewer.

About the Author

Michael J. Hatch is Associate Professor of Fine Arts at Trinity College.

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.

Store Description

Visit Seller's Storefront

Seller's business information

Websew.com Inc
22C Cragwood Road, Avenel, NJ, 07001, U.S.A.

Sale & Shipping Terms

Terms of Sale

We sell brand new books from the publisher.

Shipping Terms

Shipping costs are based on books weighing 2.2 LB, or 1 KG. If your book order is heavy or oversized, we may contact you to let you know extra shipping is required.

Shipping rates within U.S.A.

Shipping rates within U.S.A.
Order quantity	5 to 14 business days	5 to 14 business days
First item	US$ 0.00	US$ 0.00

Delivery times are set by sellers and vary by carrier and location. Orders passing through Customs may face delays and buyers are responsible for any associated duties or fees. Sellers may contact you regarding additional charges to cover any increased costs to ship your items.