Quincy Ngan

Quincy Ngan is an Assistant Professor of History of Art and Research Fellow at Yale University’s MacMillan Center. He holds a B.A. from the Chinese University of Hong Kong and a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago. Prior to Yale, he served as a visiting assistant professor at the University of Iowa.

His research focuses on visual and material cultures of early modern China, with emphasized interests in Chinese painting, color symbolism, alchemical practices, and gender/sexuality studies. His first book project, The Matter of Color: Azurite Blue in Early Modern China, explores the interdisciplinary significance of azurite across medicinal, artistic, and socio-economic contexts. His second project examines intermedial connections between drama and painting in 14th–17th century China, informed by his co-organized ACLS-funded conference Art in Drama.

Ngan teaches courses such as Chinese Painting and Culture, Gender and Sexuality in Asian Art, and Global Materiality of Color. His publications bridge scientific pigment analysis with historical and literary interpretation, challenging traditional literati-centric narratives in art history.

Key grants include the ACLS-funded Art in Drama conference (2019), co-organized with Dr. Peng Xu. While no awards are explicitly listed, his work demonstrates sustained engagement with interdisciplinary research and academic leadership.