Members of the Tolman family at SCMA on the occasion of an exhibition of gifts from The Tolman Collection and the donation of Clifton Karhu’s portrait of Norman to SCMA. From left to right: Mary Tolman, Hilary Tolman ‘87, Allison Tolman, Lucas Martineau and Norman Tolman.
Norman Tolman (1936-2025)
Aprile Gallant is Mary Walcott Keyes 1931 Curator of Prints, Drawings and Photographs and Associate Director of Curatorial Affairs.
The world of contemporary Japanese prints lost a leading light with the death of gallerist/publisher/scholar Norman Tolman on January 15, 2025.
I remember the first time I met Norman. I was then, as I was on each subsequent meeting, struck by his energy. He was brimming with information and ideas which he was eager to share. As SCMA was just embarking on a new initiative to build a collection of Asian art, I was grateful that someone so knowledgeable and experienced in the field of contemporary Japanese printmaking was interested in contributing to the SCMA collection. Norman served as a diplomat attached to the Cultural Office of the American Embassy in Japan. This brought him and his family (including his wife Mary and daughters Allison and Hilary, and eventually Hilary's son Lucas) in close touch with artists all over the country. Building on these long-term relationships with artists, The Tolman Collection, Tokyo, is the largest contemporary print publisher in Japan.
Clifton Karhu. Lord Norman, 1986. Woodcut. Gift of Hilary Tolman, class of 1987
The first gift of prints from The Tolman Collection included twenty works donated in 2007 in honor of Hilary’s 20th Smith College reunion. This sparked a relationship with SCMA that spanned 18 years and resulted in 144 outstanding prints entering the collection. Featuring both breadth and depth, the Hilary Tolman, class of 1987, Collection has provided a strong foundation for SCMA to share this vital form of visual expression.
Shinoda Toko. Drama, 1997. Lithograph and handcoloring. Gift of The Tolman Collection, Tokyo, in honor of Hilary Tolman, class of 1987, on the occasion of her 20th reunion
Gifts from The Tolman Collection also allowed SCMA to form deep holdings of a number of outstanding printmakers, including works by venerable practitioners such as Toko Shinoda (1913-2021) as well as younger artists, such as Saito Noriko (born 1973).
The work of The Tolman Collection–supporting the study and appreciation of contemporary Japanese prints throughout the world–continues in the capable hands of Allison Tolman and her colleagues Eiji Nagao, Daisuke Maruoka, Sachie Maruoka, Shin Mochizuki, Kiyoyuki Fukuda and Norman's personal assistant Goun Sekiya.
Saito Noriko. Afternoon Song, 2014. Drypoint. The Hilary Tolman, class of 1987, Collection. Gift of The Tolman Collection, Tokyo
I will miss Norman’s energy, knowledge and wit. We are grateful that SCMA can play some small part in continuing his legacy.
Anyone can request to see works in the SCMA collection by searching our online collections database and emailing ccenter@smith.edu. Please include a list of the works you’d like to see and the proposed date and time of your visit. We look forward to sharing outstanding prints from The Tolman Collection with you.