Africa
Ogilvie, Grania, and Carol Graff. The dictionary of South African painters and sculptors, including Namibia. Rosebank, Johannesburg, South Africa : Everard Read, c1988.
A major reference book on modern southern African art that documents more than 1,800 painters, sculptors, and graphic artists who were born, lived in, or are presently living in South Africa or Namibia. Includes family trees, a select bibliography, and “useful addresses.”
Reference N7392 O555
Berman, Esmé. Art and artists of South Africa : an illustrated biographical dictionary and historical survey of painters, sculptors & graphic artists since 1875. Cape Town : A.A. Balkema, 1970.
Biographical entries for 400+ artists, about half of them in-depth. Includes historical tables, historical survey, artists who have participated in major exhibitions, and painters, sculptors, and graphic artists who have exhibited professionally since 1900. Also includes bibliography and references and an index.
Reference N7392 B475
China
Sullivan, Michael. Modern Chinese Artists: A Biographical Dictionary. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2006.
Brief biographical entries for artists who grew up, or were trained, in China “who attained some reputation in China in the twentieth century and opening years of the twenty-first, even though born in the nineteenth, and whose works are likely to appear in collections, exhibitions, and auctions abroad.” Does not include calligraphers unless they were also known as painters. Bibliography includes Chinese and Japanese as well as Western sources.
Reference N7345 A1 S855
Japan
Roberts, Laurance P. A dictionary of Japanese artists: Painting, Sculpture, Ceramics, Prints, Lacquer. Tokyo, New York: Weatherill, 2003.
Limited-edition reprint of the most comprehensive and authoritative dictionary of Japanese artists yet published. The pertinent facts related to approximately 3000 painters, printmakers, sculptors, potters, and lacquerware makers born before 1900 are concisely listed, including their art names (in kanji and romanized), brief biographies, descriptions of their work, collections in which their work is included, and books and periodicals in which their work is discussed or illustrated. Includes extensive appendixes, glossary, bibliography and complete indexes.
Clark Reference N7350 A1 R63