The Print Collection houses some 3,000 Japanese prints spanning from the 10th century through to the present day. While not the largest such collection in the West, it is of unique importance because of the pristine condition and coloring of many of the prints, including masterpieces by Utamaro, Choki, and Hiroshige. While Charles Stewart Smith collection (1700 prints) given to the Library in 1901, focuses on prints of the ukiyo-e school, recent major gifts from Donald Keene and Edythe Polster strengthened holdings of late 19th and early-20th century Japanese printmaking.
