World Arthistory Institute (WAI) at Shanghai International Studies University, founded in October 2020, stands as an academic institute born with a close connection with Comité International d’Histoire de l’Art (CIHA). Based on Internet and digital techniques, WAI strives to build a research base of global art history in China and the East among the international art history academia. This is also one of the commitments that the director of WAI, Professor LaoZhu has cherished when working as the former President of CIHA.

Currently, there are several ongoing art history research projects, namely, Ancient Egyptian art history, Ancient Greek art history, Japanese art history, history of art in Inner Asia and Renaissance Art. Working around these projects, WAI devotes itself to constructing a global image database based on a comprehensive investigation of first-hand literature and image data, as well as to promote the substantial role of Imagology (Xingxiang Xue 形相学) and languages and their linkage in the research of world civilizations. Meanwhile, WAI is dedicated to translating academic classics of world art history, promoting the academic narratives of global art history from the perspective of a developing country, editing the CIHA journal, operating the official website of CIHA as well as assisting the Secretariat of CIHA to develop a global network within art history academia.

WAI now also develops the multidisciplinary researches with archeology,neuroscience, computer science, linguistics and museology.

Address: No.31 Villa, Wenxiang Road 1550, Songjiang District, Shanghai, China.