Legend in Japanese Art

First published in 1908, "Legend in Japanese Art" by Henri L. Joly is a reference handbook cataloging the mythological figures, folk legends, and religious symbols that recur throughout Japanese decorative art — sword fittings, netsuke, lacquerware, and prints — cross-referencing the visual motifs collectors and curators encounter against the folk stories and deities behind them. Open Library catalogs the work as both an art handbook and a legends reference for Japan. Because Japanese decorative art of this period drew heavily on Buddhist, Shinto, and folk narrative imagery, Joly's handbook became a standard identification reference for Western museum curators and collectors trying to recognize which legendary figure, deity, or folk creature a given artwork depicted. It functions less as a narrative folklore collection and more as an illustrated encyclopedia connecting Japan's visual art tradition back to the myths and legends it represents.