佩初兹著的《中国画家(英文版)/西人中国纪事》主体分为两部分，简明扼要地概括了中国古代绘画的发展和主要特征。作者首先介绍了中国绘画的技巧和手法，包括绘画工具的使用、表现形式、主题类别和灵感来源等。第二部分按时间顺序介绍了中国绘画的发展演变，以及各个时期涌现出的代表人物。本书对于西方读者快速了解中国绘画很有实用意义。

PREFACE
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
INTRODUCTION
PART ONE. TECHNIQUE
I. EQUIPMENT OF THE PAINTER
II. REPRESENTATION OF FORMS
III. DIVISION OF SUBJECTS
IV. INSPIRATION
PART TWO. THE EVOLUTION OF CHINESE PAINTING
I. ORIGINS
II. BEFORE THE INTERVENTION OF BUDDHISM
III. THE INTERVENTION OF BUDDHISM
IV. THE TANG PERIOD--SEVENTH TO TENTH CENTURIES
V. THE SUNG PERIOD---TENTH TO THIRTEENTH CENTURIES
VI. THE YISIAN PERIOD--THIRTEENTH AND FOURTEENTH CENTURIES
VII. THE MING PERIOD--FOURTEENTH TO SEVENTEENTH CENTURIES
VIII. THE CH'ING PERIOD--SEVENTEENTH TO TWENTIETH CENTURIES
CONCLUSION
BIBLIOGRAPHY
INDEX OF PAINTERS AND PERIODS