The author challenges conventional art historical methodologies by proposing a “transcultural” framework that transcends cultural boundaries. The preface establishes the theoretical foundation, arguing that images originate from a “double projection”: the external world and the self. Drawing on myths (Pliny, Vasari, Alberti) and Borges’ allegory of recursive creation, Li contends that artistic representation is never purely objective or autonomous but arises from intertwined cultural and subjective layers. The book critiques three dominant paradigms of Multiculturalism, Global Art History as well as Comparativism. Li defines “Transcultural History of Art”as the study of art’s “threefold projection” across the world, the self, and cultures. It emphasizes dynamic interactions, mutual influences, and border-crossing exchanges rather than isolated traditions. This approach is inherently historical, tracking tangible connections across time and space. Li concludes that art history must abandon rigid binaries (East/West, tradition/modernity) to trace the “infinite recursion” of images and their doubles. The transcultural lens uncovers art’s role in shaping—and being shaped by—entangled worlds, selves, and cultures across epochs.