Julie Nelson Davis

Julie Nelson Davis is a Professor in the Department of History of Art at the University of Pennsylvania, specializing in East Asian arts from 1600 to the present with a focus on early modern Japan. She is a leading authority on ukiyo-e (woodblock prints and illustrated books) and has authored three influential books on the subject.

• Key Publications: Utamaro and Spectacle of Beauty (2007/2021), Partners in Print (2015), and Picturing the Floating World (2021)
• Curatorial Work: Guest-curated "Arthur Tress and the Japanese Illustrated Book" (2022) at the Kislak Center, University of Pennsylvania Libraries
• Teaching: Course I-85: Japanese Prints and Illustrated Books in Context

Her research examines the intersection of commercial art markets, collaborative production practices, and the social context of ukiyo-e. Recent work explores the global reception of Japanese prints and their material culture. She focuses on how artistic networks in early modern Japan shaped visual narratives and aesthetic innovation.

Professor Davis has curated exhibitions that bridge historical Japanese printmaking traditions with contemporary interpretations, including her 2022 collaboration with the Kislak Center. Her scholarship emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches to understanding print culture through economic, social, and technical lenses.