Building Symbolic Capital through International Cultural Exchange: A Study of Gao Jianfu's South Asian Art Tour

Gao Jianfu (1879–1951) is one of the most famous artists of twentieth-century China. His art and career have both attracted much scholarly attention. Nevertheless, despite a proliferation of studies, existing scholarship has ignored an important period in his career, specifically the period from 1927 to 1933. This article addresses this research gap. Drawing on newspaper articles, archival materials, and newly discovered letters between Gao and his friends, this study delineates Gao's career trajectory during this period. The article argues that this phase was a turning point in Gao's career, a time when he successfully turned himself from a discredited artist into an internationally acclaimed master. This change was achieved through his South Asian tour, during which he won great support from Pan-Asianist artists, reaped considerable symbolic capital, and built up his prestige and recognition in the Asian art world. This research enriches scholars’ understanding of an obscure period in Gao's artistic career and provides a new perspective on his ultimate success.