Enfilade

Now on view at Princeton:

The Art of Japanese Publishing: A Selection of Japanese

Illustrated Books from the Marquand Library Collection, 1660–1960

Princeton University Library, 9 September — 6 December 2026

Curated by Nicole Fabricand-Person and Holly Hatheway

The advent of commercial publishing in 17th-century Japan completely revolutionized the Japanese art tradition. For the first time, art was no longer exclusively created for the upper classes who could afford to commission it for private use. This artistic revolution was the result of newly-minted publishers in Kyoto, Osaka, and Edo, who began to experiment with woodblock printing—a process that, for over a thousand years, had been restricted to Japanese temples for the production of Buddhist texts. These beautifully illustrated and commercially published books impacted Japanese art tradition and inspired Western art movements. The publishing of illustrated books was then revolutionized in the 20th century with the introduction of photography, new printing processes, and artists taking control of their work for the first time.

Marquand Library celebrates the art of Japanese publishing in this exhibition with selections from our collection of rare Japanese illustrated books. The Art of Japanese Publishing: A Selection of Japanese Illustrated Books from the Marquand Library Collection 1660–1960 is curated by Nicole Fabricand-Person (’76 *01, Japanese Art Specialist, Marquand Library of Art & Archaeology) and Holly Hatheway (Director, Marquand Library of Art & Archaeology).