1st Edition
Before Modern Manga The Attributes of Comics in Historical Works of Japanese Art
Introduction. A Perfectly Reasonable Comparison Part 1: Identifying the Characteristics of Comics 1. Surveying the Early History of Western Comic Art Part 2: Emergence of Manga Characteristics in Early Japanese Paintings 2. Anthropomorphic Jesters in Giga 3. Humorous Caricatures and Religion in Zen Buddhist Painting 4. Endearing Caricatures in Ōtsu-e Folk Painting 5. Multimodal Humor in Poetry Illustrations Part 3: Refinement of Manga Characteristics in Printed Material 6. Multimodality and Serialism in Illustrated Novels 7. Endearing Zoomorphs in Toba-e Pictures 8. Sequentiality in E-Sugoroku Gameboards 9. Endearment and Visual Simplicity in Edo Manga 10. Anthropomorphic Clowns in Crazed Pictures Part 4: Formalization of Manga Characteristics in the Meiji Era and Beyond 11. Humorous Caricatures and Politics in Punch Pictures 12. The Identity Crisis of Modern Manga 13. Conclusion. The Goals of this Art Historical Reconsideration
Biography
Stephen Salel is the Curator of Japanese Art at the Honolulu Museum of Art. His research focuses upon Japanese works on paper, including works of ukiyo-e, modern prints, and contemporary works of comic art (manga). His recent exhibitions include Lyrically Rebellious: The Prints of Onchi Kōshirō (August 23, 2025–April 12, 2026) as well as Enduring Impressions: Contemporary Woodblock Prints (August 30–December 14, 2025).
