The American Oriental Society awards the annual Louise Wallace Hackney Fellowship for the Study of Chinese Art. This fellowship covers a period of 12 months, extending from July 1st of the year of the award until June 30th of the following year, and the stipends are dispensed in monthly payments during this period. In exceptional circumstances payments may be combined to cover the initial costs of travel or research materials. These special arrangements can be agreed upon in consultation with the Office of the Secretary-Treasurer of the Society.
This award in the amount of $8,000.00 (eight thousand dollars) is open to post-doctoral as well as
doctoral students. It is conceived to permit the study of Chinese art, with special relation to
painting and its reflection of Chinese culture, and to permit the translation into English of works
upon the said subject for the purpose of furthering a better understanding of Chinese painting in
the United States. The Fellowship shall permit travel by those to whom an award is given, if such
travel is possible. This award is open only to individuals who are citizens of the United States, and
while it is possible to apply for a renewal of this grant it may not be done in consecutive years. In
no case shall a fellowship be awarded to scholars of well recognized standing, but shall be given
to either men or women who show aptitude for promise in the said field of learning. The aim of
the Hackney Fellowship is to remind scholars that Chinese art, like all art, is not a disembodied
creation, but the outgrowth of the life and culture from which it has sprung, and it is requested
that scholars give special attention to this approach in their study.
Applicants for the fellowship should have completed three years study of the Chinese language or
its equivalent and should be able to demonstrate that they have already committed themselves to
the serious study of this important area of oriental art. All applicants should submit the following
materials in duplicate: (1) a transcript of their undergraduate and graduate course work; (2) a
statement of personal finances; (3) a three or four page summary of the proposed project to be
undertaken during the year of the fellowship award, appended with a financial statement
explaining the expense involved in this study; (4) no less than three letters of recommendation.
Any scholarly papers or published materials in the area of Chinese painting are welcome along
with the other application materials.
The closing date for the application is March 1st; awards will be announced near the end of April. Winning candidates are selected by two committees of specialists in the field.
All inquiries and applications should be sent to:
Send e-mail inquiries to:
Updated: December 2011