Collective E2 transitions of midshell Ba isotopes are studied by means of t
he boson expansion theory. The fermion Hamiltonian is comprised of the self
-consistent QQ interaction with higher-order (many-body) terms, monopole- a
nd quadrupole-pairing interactions in addition to the spherical limit of th
e Nilsson Hamiltonian. The Kishimoto-Tamura method of normal-ordered linked
-cluster expansion of the modified Marumori boson mapping is applied to con
struct the microscopic boson image of the Hamiltonian and that of the E2 op
erator. It is shown that the marked increase of quadrupole collectivity, in
dicated by the enhancement of experimental B(E2). as neutron numbers approa
ch the midshell value of N = 66 can be reproduced naturally in terms of the
microscopic boson expansion theory by using a standard value of the effect
ive charge.