James Cahill

James Francis Cahill (; August 13, 1926 – February 14, 2014) was an American art collector and historian who taught at the University of California, Berkeley. He was considered one of the world's top authorities on Chinese art.

Early life and education James Cahill was born on August 13, 1926, in Fort Bragg, California. His parents were divorced when he was two, and he lived with a number of relatives and friends. He became interested in literature and music at Berkeley High School. From the late 1950s to the 1970s, when Western society had far less interest in Chinese art than today, Cahill was among a group of art historians who researched and cataloged Chinese paintings. In addition to his observations on the painting's style, which he argued could not be that of a Song dynasty painting, he cited the brushwork and seals. The museum insists the painting is authentic, and the work remains on display at the Met. The dispute remains unresolved. He built a significant collection of Chinese and Japanese art, and gave much of it to the Berkeley Art Museum.