Dr Tao Wang
Dr Tao Wang has recently been appointed as the new head of Chinese art at Sotheby's in New York. Wang was previously a senior lecturer at The School of Oriental and African Studies in London, before relocating to New York.
Born in China, Tao has close connections with the artistic and cultural institutions of his home country. He has also published several books on the subject of Chinese art, and is considered an expert in the area.
'I am thrilled to be joining Sotheby’s at such an exciting time for the Chinese Works of Art market. I have spent decades working in this field and look forward to building on my many connections in Asia, Europe and the US to source and sell the finest Chinese works of art,' Tao said. 'With the strong global demand as well as the continued strength of New York as a global auction centre for these objects, I am looking forward to becoming part of Sotheby’s international team.'
Sotheby’s Vice Chairman of Asian Art, Henry Howard-Sneyd is also thrilled at the recent appointment.
'Dr. Tao Wang is a major addition to our Chinese Works of Art expertise. He comes to Sotheby’s after a long and successful career in academia which has seen him develop links to collectors in Asia and across the world,' he said. 'With his experience of working in China, Dr. Wang brings not only a deep knowledge of Chinese art but also an understanding of the cultural background and importance of these wonderful objects.'
Tao was educated in China at the Yunnan Teachers’ University and the postgraduate school of the Chinese Academy of Arts in Beijing. He moved to London in 1986 where he obtained his PhD from the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London in 1993.
His main research interests included traditional and contemporary archaeological practice, as well as paleography, epigraphy, calligraphy and early Chinese language and religion.
His published works include
Inscribed Early Chinese Bronzes in Foreign Collections,
The Meiyingtang Collection of Ancient Chinese Bronzes and
Borrowed Landscpae: City, Landscape and Architecture in Early and Medieval China, all of which were published in 2007.
Dr Tao Wang will now be in charge of overseeing Sotheby's Chinese Works of Art Department in New York, which is renowned for offering great masterpieces of Chinese art for auction.