Japan’s Manga Revolution: From Painted Scrolls to Comic Books 1620–1920

Marks (Japanese Woodblock Prints), curator at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, presents a lavishly illustrated survey of three centuries of art that shaped Japanese comics. He begins in the 17th century, when painted handscrolls brought alive classic works of literature and charming animal allegories; after printing become widespread in Japan during the 17th century, illustrated books rendered in ink offered illuminated poetry, funny art (one charming 1720 title from an unknown author is Comical Pictures to Stop You from Yawning), and bawdy tell-alls. Adult picture books called kibyōshi (“yellow covers”) popularized in the last few decades of the 18th century provided pulpy thrills through historical epics, adventure tales, and horror stories, and drew a wide audience for their relative accessibility (they were generally written in vernacular and could be cheaply purchased). The book ends with the earliest sequential comic strips in Japan, stopping just short of the country’s first serial comics and graphic novels. Marks dives into the material without much introduction, which may be disorienting to readers new to the subject, but provides plenty of information about individual works and a treasure trove of extraordinary art to pore over, much of it by artists who will be new to most Westerners. Readers curious about the historical roots of contemporary pop culture will find plenty to explore. (Oct.)