Ann Paludan obituary

My friend, the art historian Ann Paludan, who has died aged 86, had an extraordinary life of travel in the diplomatic service, professional achievement at the Treasury, and pioneering research into Chinese history and culture.

Her China experiences started in the 1970s, when her second husband, Janus Paludan, served as Denmark’s ambassador to Beijing, Hanoi and Pyongyang. While living in the Chinese capital, Ann added Chinese to her already impressive list of languages. She also opened up the study of sculpture in China, a subject she made her own.