Classified Catalogue of Japanese and Chinese books
HOW WAS THE TERM TOYOGA ACTUALLY USED? CAN I GET MORE EVIDENCE ON THIS?
The Taiwan Government-General Library first published a classified catalogue of its collection in 1918 and every few years or so thereafter published additional volumes to account for its ever expanding collection and make it more easily searchable for the library users.
The subject headings in the "Arts" section of the Japanese and Chinese language books (Wakan tosho) catalogue contained following subheadings:
800 Arts (geijutsu)
810 Calligraphy and painting (shoga)
820 Sculpture and metalworks
830 Lacquerwork
840 Platemaking and printing
850 Photography
860 Music
870 Entertainment and leisure
The 810 Calligraphy and painting subheading had further subdivisions:
811 Painting / General
812 Japanese Painting (Nihonga) and Chinese Painting (Shinaga)
813 Japanese Painting (Nihonga) and Chinese Painting (Shinaga) / Organized by School
814 Western Painting (Yōga) and Contemporary Painting (Gendaiga)
815 Calligraphy (Sho)
816 Stylized signatures (Kaō)
817 Seal engraving, books of seals, seals
Interestingly enough, the library's categorization did not include a subheading or section named "tōyōga," which was the word Guo Xuehu used to describe the kind of recent painting he was studying at the library. The word tōyōga (lit. Eastern Painting) has been in use in Japan at least since the latter Meiji period to compare and distinguish East Asian painting from its Western counterpart - yōga. In fact, tōyōga was often used interchangeably with the term nihonga (lit. Japanese Painting), as painting in Japan also included styles and techniques imported from the continent and shared many of its characteristics with painting in East Asia at large. The categorization of Japanese Painting and Chinese Painting under 812 & 813 next to Western Painting under 814, reflects this semantic overlap between the two terms and perhaps made the use of the term tōyōga superfluous (For example, section 8137, a subsection of 813, encompassed Chinese painting, Southern School, Northern School, and Literati Painting.). The few books on Korean painting in the catalogue can also be found under the 812/813 subject heading. More importantly, the category of yōga encompassed both paintings produced in "the West" as well as works in oil and watercolor by Japanese artists. Thus, the distinction between tōyōga/nihonga and yōga was one of medium and widely conceived artistic traditions or "schools" (stretching through time).
The collection featured many books relevant for amateurs and aspiring artists, such as exhibition catalogues of the official salons, books with reproductions (gashū), as well as a large selection of how-to-make-art and how-to-look-at-art books. It also had books about contemporary masters in Europe and Japan, including essays and memoirs penned directly by the artists.
FIGURE OUT: Not sure if I should include here a more detailed translation of part of the catalogue with an actual list of books?