How Does Meaning Affect the Perceived Value of Art? The Case of Chinese Calligraphy

Yuqing Song; Anne-Sophie Radermecker

doi:10.3384/cu.4419

How Does Meaning Affect the Perceived Value of Art? The Case of Chinese Calligraphy

Authors

Yuqing Song Erasmus University Rotterdam
Anne-Sophie Radermecker FNRS-Université libre de Bruxelles (Department of History, Arts and Archaeology – Cultural Management, Faculty of Philosophy and Social Sciences) https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7795-1048

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3384/cu.4419

Keywords:

perceived value, Chinese calligraphy, aesthetic appreciation, factorial experiment, intangible cultural heritage

Abstract

How does meaning making affect the perceived value of art? In this paper, we focus on a unique form of art, Chinese calligraphy, to explore the effects of literal meaning on the perceived value of art combining both words and aesthetic quality. Based on a 2*4 between-subjects factorial experiment (n = 451), we find evidence that the provision of transcriptions for Chinese calligraphy artworks can have certain impact on the works’ perceived value. Specifically, our findings suggest that transcriptions enhance the appreciation of the value of the literal content and the perceived beauty of certain artwork. This paper contributes to a better understanding of the effect of meaning on the perceived value of Chinese calligraphy artworks, information supply on aesthetic experiences, and the value of Chinese calligraphy as intangible cultural heritage. Recommendations for stakeholders including auction houses are provided.

Author Biographies

Yuqing Song, Erasmus University Rotterdam

Yuqing Song is currently in the second year as a PhD candidate in Economics and Management Sciences at Université libre de Bruxelles. This paper draws inspirations from her thesis in the MA program Cultural Economics and Entrepreneurship at Erasmus University Rotterdam. Her main research topic is authenticity issues of the Chinese art market, and her research interests include cultural heritage and art markets.

Anne-Sophie Radermecker, FNRS-Université libre de Bruxelles (Department of History, Arts and Archaeology – Cultural Management, Faculty of Philosophy and Social Sciences)

Anne-Sophie Radermecker is assistant professor within the Master’s Degrees Program in Cultural Management, where she teaches cultural economics. Her main research interests are: art markets studies, the consumption of cultural goods, authenticity issues in the arts, and quantitative art history.

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Published

2024-08-27

How to Cite

Song, Y. and Radermecker, A.-S. (2024) “How Does Meaning Affect the Perceived Value of Art? The Case of Chinese Calligraphy”, Culture Unbound. doi: 10.3384/cu.4419.

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