"This book is important because it deals in depth with a period that has been neglected in art-historical scholarship, and because it interweaves art history and literary history."
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Claudia Brown, author of Great Qing: Painting in China, 1644–1911
"A significant foray into a culturally rich part of Beijing. Compelling, insightful, appealing, and readable."
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Kristina Kleutghen, author of Imperial Illusions: Crossing Pictorial Boundaries in the Qing Palaces
"Matteini's expansive and nuanced exploration of Luo Ping's late career brings refreshing insight into painting practices and the artist's role in society during the late eighteenth century, a period often overlooked in the history of painting."
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Kathleen Ryor, Carleton College
"The Ghost in the City makes apparent the complex terrains of Luo Ping's Beijing works. Erudite and engaging, Matteini's tender and wide-ranging readings lay bare Luo's haunting ability to unveil and envision his multiple spheres, whether personal, social, historical, or imaginary."
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Roberta Wue, author of Art Worlds: Artists, Images, and Audiences in Late Nineteenth-Century Shanghai