Art-related Collections
Books and other publications served as vehicles within Japan's imperial art world, transporting the knowledge of artistic practices, artworks, and the art milieu itself throughout the empire. The art-related books available in the public libraries constituted the most informal level of artistic education, available to anyone with some Japanese language skills. Although learning from books alone would not make one an artist, it kindled the imagination of young readers and provided access to reproductions.
By March 1939, the Arts section of the Taiwan Government-General Library had 6450 volumes, 199 in western languages and 6251 in Japanese and Chinese (Taiwan Sōtokufu Toshokan, Taiwan Sōtokufu Toshokan gairan Shōwa 13nendo, 3). The fine arts related chunk of the collection covered topics ranging from pre-modern to modern art in Japan, China, and the West, yet was especially strong in Japanese art. In addition, some of the Japanese language books in the collection were recent translations from European languages, for example: John Ruskin's Lectures on art (translated by Sakuma Masakazu, Geijutsu kōwa), Konrad Adolf Fiedler's Über den Ursprung der Künstlerischen Tätigkeit (translated by Kaneda Sunao, Geijutsuteki katsudō no kigen), or Ascanio Condivi's Biography of Michaelangelo (translated by Takata Hiroatsu).
Taiwan Government-General Library carried three art journals in Japanese: Kokka (Flowers of the Nation, from the very first issue onward, 1889-, including accompanying indexes), Nihon bijutsu (Japanese Art, vol 17 no 3-6, 1915-1916), and Bijutsu gahō (The Magazine of Art, from volume 33 1915 onward) (add ref: 台湾総督府図書館和漢図書分類目録. 大正6年末現在 page 758). This selection underscores the educational approach of the library, as both Kokka and Bijutsu gahō were the two major art journals at the time specializing in reproducing artworks.
Kokka is particularly famous for the high quality of the reproductions in the collotype technique, many of which were in full color (DOUBLE CHECK THIS; WERE THESE WOODCUTS LIKE SHINBI TAIKAN???). Founded by Okakura Tenshin and Takahashi Kenzō, this prestigious journal also published research on East Asian art and would become one of the pillars of Japanese art history (add ref to Sato Doshin).
Bijutsu gahō consisted primarily of reproductions, grouped under one of the two categories: 1) sankōhin, which the magazine translated into English as "works of old masters or masterpieces" (which I translate throughout this module as "model works") and 2), shinseihin, "works of living/contemporary artists." The editors put all deceased artists into the first category, irrespective of when they had passed. The second category featured often paintings on view at major contemporary art exhibitions in Japan, such as the Japan Art Association exhibit or the Fine Arts Exhibition organized by the Ministry of Education. The bilingual notice inside of the magazine explained its objectives:
The editors did include reproductions of some premodern artworks from the continent preserved in collections in Japan. Yet, art produced in Japan dominated the magazine.The Magazine of Art has for its object the publication through its pages such standard works of old and new art, as it will serve for models of excellence an (sic) examples for reference in the various departments of art, for the benefit of the students and other persons wishing to acquaint themselves with the condition of Art in the Far East (ADD ref, 1909 pdf).
To read more about studying art through reproductions and advice for young tōyōga artists aspiring to compete in the Taiwan Fine Arts Exhibition, click here.
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