Junyao He

Junyao He is a PhD candidate and Associate Lecturer at The Courtauld Institute of Art. His doctoral research examines the political uses of portraiture at the Qianlong court (1735-1795), focusing on how portraiture functioned as a tool of imperial dominance and transcultural communication. Funded by The Courtauld Scholarship, his work bridges art history with historical analysis, challenging traditional interpretations of Qing court portraits.

Education: PhD candidate at The Courtauld (2020–present), MA in History of Art (Peking University, 2016–2019), BA in Art Theory (Luxun Academy of Fine Arts, 2012–2016).

Research interests span Qing court art, imperial portraiture across late imperial China, Manchu studies, and the transcultural reception of Chinese art. Recent professional roles include a predoctoral fellowship at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art (2022–2023) and coordination of transdisciplinary research initiatives like the CHASE Cohort Development Fund workshop (2021–2022).

Publications include analyses of Qing imperial portraiture’s ritual contexts and the intersection of smallpox imagery with Manchu identity. His work emphasizes the dynamic interplay between art, power, and cultural exchange in early modern Eurasia.

• Awards: The Courtauld Scholarship, Smithsonian Institution Predoctoral Fellowship

Teaching and mentorship experience includes leading The Courtauld’s BA2 module on landscape and environment in early modern China. He has also advised on projects such as the Hongmen International Expert Forum (2018) and research into Beijing’s art scene under the Northern Warlords (2017).