Bookplate. What is exlibris? What do they depict

Ex-libris originated in Germany in the 16th century, almost immediately after the invention of printing. In Russia, these "book signs" appeared only under Peter 1. However, in the last century, manuscripts of the Solovetsky Monastery dated to the end of the 15th century were discovered. They were painted bookplates.

Such different ex-libris

Ex-libris can either be pasted on the inside of the binding or printed using special printing - many of them were made according to individual orders. There were even such varieties of nominal book marks as a superex libris, where an imprint was made on the spine of a book.

The ex-libris often contained the name of the owner and was often supplemented by his occupation and interests. If such an analogy can be drawn, then the ex-libris was the forerunner of the label, which is placed in the virtual library, or water.

Bookplates could be simple and unpretentious, or very refined and complex in composition. Sometimes they were only a label with the name of the owner, his signature, a simple badge invented by the owner of the publication. In some cases, it was supplemented with a personal motto or marked with an emblem.

There were also art and skillful works of ex-libris. They were created using high (for that time) technology and were small engravings on copper or wood. In their manufacture, a lithographic or zincographic method was used. Among the authors of complex bookplates, it is worth mentioning Albrecht Dürer and Favorsky.

Bookplate types

Experts divide all bookplates into:

Coat of arms - they depict the personal coat of arms of the owner, in Russia there was a special demand for such things at the beginning of the twentieth century among the nobility, who did not have time or did not want to emigrate;
- monograms - simpler, but in a special ornament, they indicated the initials of the owner;
- plot - landscape compositions, emblems, architecture were mainly used here (they were especially popular in the twentieth century).

At the present time, when many people collect not paper, but electronic libraries, the role of ex-libris is declining. Although, as real books are used less and less, it is possible that the art mark may again come into fashion as a kind of tribute to the past.

It is worth noting that there are already two bookplate museums, one of which is in Moscow. And there are thousands of collections of these book graphic miniatures.

Sometimes an ex-libris is of greater value than the book containing it. Bookplate (Ex libris) means "from someone's library" or "from someone's books". This is the Latin expression for the art form of ex-libris - marks or labels inside books by which the owner can be recognized. Bookplates are different: from the simplest to the decorative and intricate, obscure or even bizarre and surreal.

Noble families often used a personal coat of arms or shield decoration, often displaying the family slogan in their own language or Latin. Of course, the style of the bookplate has changed over time, but most of the bookplates reflected the decorative style of the times. A huge number of illustrations are displayed on bookplates - dragons, angels, trophies, animals, birds, children, musical instruments, weapons, images of flowers, trees, plants, landscapes and much more.

The modern study and collection of bookplates began around 1860. Often they are given great interest, even more than the book in which they are contained. They have historical value as pieces of art from a particular time period, but may also have a "personal history" if they belonged to famous people.

The idea of ​​mass book ownership (and hence the need for bookplates to denote ownership) appeared shortly after the first printed books in the fifteenth century. They first appeared in Germany, where they were made in large quantities before the idea spread around the world. These examples are almost always of deep interest to collectors and art historians. The oldest recorded bookplate dates back to around 1450.

(This drawing of an angel from Germany, known as the "Image of Hildebrand of Brandenburg from Biberach for the Monastery in Buxheim" is from about 1480)

In France, the oldest ex-libris discovered is that of Jean Berteau La Tour-Blanche from 1529, while the oldest ex-libris from England belonged to Mr. Nicholas Bacon, a politician during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, father of Francis Bacon. It served as a bookplate for the books he presented to the University of Cambridge until his death in 1579.

The earliest bookplates from Holland and Italy date back to 1597 and 1622 respectively. In many parts of Europe, patterns are similar throughout the seventeenth century. The earliest known American example of a bookplate is a plain printed label by John Williams from 1679.

Bookplates also appeared in other parts of the world. Below is a specimen belonging to Sha Jahan of the Mughal dynasty of India in 1645:

The drawing on the lower left was also clearly inspired by the culture and iconography of the Indian subcontinent, while the bookplate on the lower right depicts a drawing of a great executioner. This drawing served as a warning about respect for book property or drastic consequences:

Heraldic designs were commonly used for decoration, as shown in this bookplate from England:

The ex-libris on the bottom left was made in America in 1905 and has some heraldic elements. The example on the right is a signed bookplate by George Bancroft inspired by Ancient Greece. "Eis phaos" translates to "toward the light".

Samuel Hollier created his own bookplate in 1896 (lower left), which is reminiscent of Hogarth's engravings and bears the style of the eighteenth century. On the right is a drawing for Jane Patterson from 1890:

The artist Amy Sacker created many bookplates for her clients in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century:

The sample on the bottom right is from 1950 and depicts a monk near a tree with books growing along with leaves. The drawing on the right is a wonderful depiction of a skeleton playing a cello, 1909:

These excellent examples of bookplates date from the first half of the twentieth century:

Historical figures and celebrities, politicians, movie stars, athletes and even some of history's lesser-known figures have all used bookplates.

The bookplate of former French President Charles de Gaulle proudly displays the Cross of Lorraine, the symbol of the Free Forces of France during World War II (bottom left). Edward Heath, the former Prime Minister of Britain, used a bookplate that reflected his passion for seafaring (drawing in the middle), and on the right is the bookplate of Ramsay MacDonald, the first British Prime Minister of Labor between the wars:

This 1907 drawing (left) belonged to the last Tsar of Russia, Nicholas II. At the top right is the bookplate of Queen Victoria, which looks majestic together with the coat of arms, and the picture at the bottom right is the bookplate of the Swedish and Norwegian king Oscar the Second:

The bookplate of George Washington features his family coat of arms. This bookplate was engraved in London in 1792 (drawing below left). Paul Revere, a hero of the American Revolution, was also a famous engraver and silversmith and used his unique artwork in his collection of books (picture below right):

Charles Dickens, certainly known as a writer of books, used his own bookplates in the volumes of his personal collection (picture on the left). Jack London's bookplate is perfect for his novels such as "The Call of the Wild" and "White Fang" (right):

Mr. Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes, also had a magnificent drawing suitable for his book collection:

Drawing by Sigmund Freud depicts a nude figure (bottom left). Jack Dempsey, heavyweight boxing champion of the world in the 1920s, enters the fight from the right:

Benito Mussolini, Italy's infamous dictator, needs no introduction. Here are two of his bookplates that he sold in the mid-30s:

Greta Garbo has stated throughout that she just wanted to be alone...perhaps with a lot of books for the company, displaying her own distinct style (picture on the left). Douglas Fairbanks JR was born in New York, but his bookplates had a very aristocratic British style (picture on the right):

The ex-libris of Harpo Marx shows his own caricature (upper left drawing). Charles Chaplin used a bookplate in his library (drawing in the middle). Other Hollywood celebrities who had their own bookplates: Cecile Bee deMille and Bing Crosby:

Some of the old works are full of a surprising amount of detail even when compared to the drawings and engravings of the period:

Looking at these samples, I want to acquire and their bookplate, right? :)

Book lovers and collectors collect in their libraries a variety of printed publications, each with its own history. In an effort to protect their wealth, bibliophiles and connoisseurs stick or affix book marks on the pages of books - bookplates. What it is, when and where it appeared, how it happens and how this “graphic aphorism” is made, we will try to tell in this article.

What it is?

Translated from Latin into Russian, Ex libris means "from books." It is inextricably linked with the history of books and originated in medieval workshops - scriptoriums at monasteries, where folios were copied. It was there that the so-called owner's inscriptions on books began to be made, beginning with the words “from the library” or “from the books”, after which the surname and name of the owner or the name of the monastery or library were indicated.

Ex-libris owes its modern and familiar to us type of paper label, glued to the inside of the book binding, to book printing and German masters. It can be very different - simple and decorative, black and white and color. The simplest example, familiar to each of us since childhood, is the ex-libris of the library, affixed to the textbooks issued at school. Aesthetically, it does not represent anything, but it carries important information about the owner of the publication.

The book sign - ex-libris - did not remain unchanged, the fashion trends of a particular era, the personal preferences and tastes of the owners, and even the technical means of printing used influenced its appearance.

As a rule, a personal book mark is more or less encrypted information about the owner: his last name and first name, profession, worldview, interests. There are cases when the left ex-libris has more value than the book itself, in which it is located.

When did they appear?

When answering the question of what ex-libris is, it is important to find out where and how this artistic phenomenon arose.

According to scientists, the oldest bookmark is in the British Museum, and it belonged to Pharaoh Amenhotep IV and dates back to the 14th century BC. e. The desire to designate ownership of such precious things as books is understandable. Only the most powerful and wealthy people had the luxury of having handwritten books and tried to signify ownership in order to keep it.

After the appearance of the first printed books in Germany, people needed bookplates by which the owner could be identified. The oldest recorded German bookmark dates back to 1450, while the French one by Jean Berteau La Tour Blanche dates back to 1529.

Some of the first English, Dutch and Italian bookplates appeared in 1579, 1597 and 1622 respectively.

Classification and types

Developed over the centuries, book signs can be classified into the following two main types:

• font - indicating only the name and surname of the owner;
• artistic, executed in the form of a miniature drawing, briefly telling about the owner of the library.

Let's take a closer look at the art bookplate, what it is and what types of it there are. There are three in total:

1. The coat of arms is typical for the 16th-17th centuries, it depicted the coat of arms of the owner. It was created according to all the laws of heraldic art.
2. Monogram included artistically processed initials of the owner. A similar bookplate (photo above) can be seen in the article.
3. The plot is the most decorative and can consist of many elements, reflecting the profession and hobbies of the owner.

What do they depict?

If earlier coats of arms and initials prevailed on book signs, then modern bookplates in most cases consist of two parts: artistic and textual. And if the inscription, according to tradition, indicates that the book belongs to one or another owner, then the image can be absolutely anything. When ex-libris are being developed, artists are asked to depict one or another aspect of the life or interests of the library owner. Such an image is necessarily symbolic, and it can be portrait or landscape, show elements of the decor or architecture of the library, grotesque or caricature. There are no restrictions, except for the imagination of the customer and the skill of the artist.

In Soviet times, ex-libris depicting Lenin, plots and heroes of the civil and Great Patriotic wars, the labor exploits of workers and peasants, and the conquest of space were popular.

How are they made?

Today, there are many techniques for obtaining bookmarks:

• typesetting;
• stamp;
• zincographic;
• lithography;
• silkscreen;
• engravings on various materials.

Let's take a brief look at the different methods that are used when making bookplates for a book.

Woodcut

One of the oldest techniques is xylography - an engraving made on wood. Already in the 8th century A.D. e. in the East, high-quality prints were obtained from treated wooden surfaces, and from the 14th century a similar technique began to be used in Europe. This type of woodcut was called edged, it was performed on a longitudinal cut of soft wood, usually a pear, with a chisel and a knife. Due to the resistance of the wood fibers, the process was long and laborious. In the 18th century, the English engraver Thomas Bewick invented the end engraving method, performed on cross sections of hardwood with a special cutter. This type of engraving quickly gained popularity, as it made it possible to obtain thin and clear lines, the necessary depth and smooth transitions between dark and light areas.

Copper engraving

This one of the oldest ways to create engravings appeared in the XIV century in Italy. It is carried out by cutting out the pattern with a special cutter for copper and then filling the resulting grooves with paint. After that, the drawing is printed under pressure, on damp, well-absorbing ink paper. This technique is quite difficult to perform, since nothing can be changed or corrected.

Etching

This is the most popular way of making bookplates, which consists in etching the pattern with acid on zinc or. First, a special varnish composition based on wax and resinous substances is applied to a metal-coated board. When the lacquer hardens, the artist draws a pattern with a special needle and exposes the metal. After the image is transferred, the plate is lowered into a container with nitric acid, which corrodes the metal. On a surface cleaned of acid and varnish, a pattern is obtained.

Modernity

Previously, artists' bookplates were made using woodcuts or etchings, but today most of the book signs are executed through an imprint of rubber clichés. Modern technical means make it possible to engrave the smallest elements of an ex-libris, which makes it possible to create the most complex works of art.

Book labels in Russia

Until the 18th century, handwritten books were common in Russia, and in order to preserve them, the owners simply made an "owner's inscription" in which the name and surname were indicated. Thanks to the Russian pioneer printer Ivan Fedorov, the first printed book sign appeared at the beginning of the 18th century. Initially, these were only emblematic images, but plot drawings gradually began to appear, equipped with a brief motto expressing the life position of the owner. During the reign of Peter the Great, secular literature became widespread and ex-libris became fashionable. Drawings applied to printed publications become the subject of public discussion and discussion, reflecting the social status of the owner.

In the 19th century, a layer of the intelligentsia was actively formed in Russia, and the personal library ceased to be a symbol of privilege. Many enlightened people, scientists, writers are gradually forming extensive library collections. This contributed to the widespread use of ex-libris, but led to its simplification. Instead of pompous or monograms, a regular frame appeared, made in a typographical way, into which the personal data of the owner and the permanent place of the book were entered - the number and shelves.

In the 20th century, bookplate became practically an independent genre of graphic art. This was facilitated by the fact that in Russia such outstanding artists as Lev Bakst, Elena Lansere, Mikhail Dobuzhinsky and many others were engaged in this genre. It is also known that in 1901 the only bookplate of Vasnetsov was created, or rather, the woodcut “From the books of I.S. Ostroukhov” was made by the famous engraver of that time V.V. Mate according to the drawing, which the artist made in ink.

Modern history of the bookmark

After the revolution of 1917 and the civil war, many graphic artists appeared, such as Nikolai Kupriyanov, Vladimir Favorsky, and other masters. The subject matter of the ex-libris expanded considerably, and the book sign began to show the individual personality traits and predilections of book owners.

The next period of bookplate popularity in our country was the 60-70s of the last century, when people became interested in collecting books. Despite the fact that creativity at that time was severely limited by ideological boundaries, the artists created many interesting and unusual book signs.

Today, in the 21st century, interest in ex-libris is becoming stronger. This is due, first of all, to the fact that more and more of our contemporaries are striving to have their own personal book sign, which is inherited, such as, for example, an ex-libris, the photo of which is below.

Instead of a conclusion

Currently, bookmarks serve not only to preserve the integrity of the library, but also as collectibles. They can tell a lot about a particular era, owners and their fates. Answering the question about ex-libris - what it is, we can say that it is not only a modern genre of graphic art, but also an objective memory of bygone times and people.

You open the book and see a small picture on the inside of the cover. This bookplate(ex libris) - the personal owner's mark of the owner of the book. It not only confirms the owner's rights to this book, but is also something more than just a security mark. It's like a piece of the owner's inner world, transferred to the book. From the drawing of an ex-libris, you can tell a lot about its owner - what kind of person he is, what he thinks about, what he is interested in. Even after many years, the ex-libris and the book will keep this information for many generations of the family.

Previously, bookplates had a purely protective function. The first bookplates were inscriptions on handwritten books made by their owners. This inscription confirmed who was the owner of the book, and was called the "owner's inscription": "This is the book of the priest Rodion Sidorov's son, sinful and unworthy"(XVI century). Wanting to make a donation "for the atonement of sins", the owners of books sometimes donated them to the church and indicated on the book the purpose of their donation. Such a record was called a "contribution record" and was usually placed on the first page of the manuscript, which indicated the date and year of the donation, the name of the church, the name of the donor and the purpose of the contribution.
“Summer 7124 April on the 1st day put this book, the Apostle, in the house of God to the resurrection of Christ, the pious and Christ-loving servant of God Vasily Yaroshevich Zenkevich, a tradesman and inhabitant of Romanov with his wife Evdokia Zenkevicheva, for the remission of their sins and into eternal life. Amen."

Who Vasily Zenkevich was is now unknown, but his very name has lived for several centuries, thanks to such an original bookplate on the donated book. What a powerful mark on the pages of history left a simple man in the street! I wonder which of the now famous people can boast that their name has survived so many generations?

The author of the very first Russian drawn bookplate is also known. This is a certain hegumen Dositheus, who in the 15th century founded a library at the Solovetsky Monastery. On some books of this library, he drew by hand his ex-libris - a round, almost closed letter "C", inside which the continuation of the name of the owner - "Priest Monk Dositheus" was written out in a complex beautiful ligature.

The first printed ex-libris in Russia appeared in the early 18th century, thanks to the famous Ivan Fedorov, a Russian pioneer printer. At first, books were decorated only with armorial bookplates, but later beautiful plot drawings appeared - as a rule, with a short motto characterizing the owner of the library.

From about that time, with the light hand of Peter I, who laid the foundation for the wide distribution of secular publications, bookplates become an integral part of private libraries. The drawing of an ex-libris becomes a subject of heated discussion and becomes almost as important as a personal coat of arms. He gains publicity.

As time has shown, the library owners were absolutely right in paying such careful attention to the ex-libris. Their books have survived many generations and now, having reached our days, they can tell a lot about the culture and custom of the time of their creation, about the personality of their owners. It is easy to trace the continuity of generations by ex-libris – a tradition was born next to the ex-libris of the previous owner of the book to leave your book mark.

Now bookplates are not only faithful guardians of books, but also collectibles that can tell a lot about the culture of a given era and trace the fate of private libraries. They have become an independent genre of graphics, with their own peculiarities and nuances.

Do you want to leave your mark on history and keep your name in the memory of many generations of descendants? Then you definitely need an ex-libris! And its development must be approached in the most careful way. This is the face of your library. Just imagine, after all, in fact, an ex-libris print is an imprint in history. How will you appear to posterity? Considering the bookplate drawing, what will your great-great-great...grandchildren think of you in a few generations?

Creation and production of bookplates

Our Workshop employs wonderful graphic artists who can create amazing little masterpieces. It is not an easy task to reflect the huge inner world of a person in the subject miniature of the ex-libris. We have been doing this for many years. Each ex-libris created and made in our workshop is individual… and very beautiful. However, you can see for yourself by viewing samples of our work :)

Imagine what a pleasure it is to look at a bizarre ex-libris drawing and realize that this THING is one of a kind! And it's made especially for you.

When deciding to immortalize yourself in history, think also about your friends and acquaintances. There is hardly a gift more refined and original. This is not a typical item, issued in hundreds of thousands of copies, it is a unique item created specifically for a particular person. It's a thing for life.

Wanting to stand out, people spend a lot of money on expensive trinkets, expensive wine, expensive souvenirs. But in the end, all these gifts turn out to be partly dumped in a drawer, partly re-gifted to someone else. And of course, hardly anyone will remember the giver of the fifth bottle of brandy or that leather-bound diary over there.

Bookplate is a gift that will be remembered for a long time. And you can't override it :-)

It looks undoubtedly expensive and stylish, and at the same time it is completely devoid of banality. He's interesting. Intriguing. Unusual. And most importantly - this gift without words will show your attention and care for the person to whom you give it.

In addition to its undoubted aesthetic value, ex-libris is an extremely useful thing. Remember how many CDs your friends “played”? How many books from your library ended up with friends? Now they are unlikely to forget to return your book to you!

The world is becoming more and more computerized. An electronic signature, a paperless office, electronic texts on a pocket computer screen… In 20-30 years, books will become a rarity. And books, like good wine, only become more valuable with age. Save your library for your kids!

How to order and buy an ex-libris?

You can not think of what to depict on the ex-libris? The inner world is so big, and the picture is so small... That is the beauty of the ex-libris, that in a small picture you can reflect the very best, that which is the basis, essence, core of the soul and personality. This is a reason to ask yourself the question: Who am I? What am I dreaming about? Where am I going? Now think about what image could reflect your essence. Call us and ask for advice - together we will develop the idea of ​​\u200b\u200bdrawing.

If you want to buy an ex-libris and give it as a gift, but you think that you don’t know the person very well, you can look at albums with samples of our artists’ work and choose some interesting but neutral topic. Believe me, even the simplest bookplate drawing can transform any library.

Great gift option - monogram bookplate, which contains a beautiful plexus of the initials of the future owner - a monogram or monogram. The uniqueness of this thing is undeniable, its originality is guaranteed to delight the future owner. Moreover, such an ex-libris can be the first step towards creating a personal style - after all, a monogram or monogram depicted in an ex-libris can be used in thousands of different ways! The monogram can be embroidered on tablecloths, linen and clothes, engraved on cufflinks, lighters, glasses and dishes, carved on wood, cast in plaster, and even made into jewelry.

Call us and we will be happy to create for you a wonderful bookplate that you will use for many years.

We love our job :)

Ex-libris (from the Latin “from books”) is a bookmark indicating that a book belongs to one or another owner. The first bookplate appeared, probably with the advent of the first books. Before the invention of printing, bookplates were drawn directly on the book. The first handwritten book sign in Rus' is considered to be a calligraphic vignette-mark of Abbot Dorotheus, the founder of the library of the Solovetsky Monastery (XV century). In the West, with the advent of printing, the book sign takes the form of a miniature print imprinted from an engraved copper or wooden board. Usually, the bookplate shows the owner's name and surname and a drawing that speaks concisely and figuratively about the profession, interests, or composition of the owner's library. Germany is considered the birthplace of the bookplate, where it appeared shortly after the invention of printing. Ex-libris appeared in Russia under Peter I.

Praise to the ex-libris No, not a maniac with a sick dream, Cutting through the lines of the twilight, The thirteenth constellation of the Zodiac You are erected above us, Book sign! Always united, tirelessly new, Are you not always ready to resurrect Heraldry forgotten foundations For new thoughts and unexpected words? Engravings in black and white lines, A child of a bibliophile and dreams, At times exquisite fun You will lie down on a multi-colored flyleaf. The quivering blood is agitated by the indistinct grace of the Bibliophile, When the ex-libris with the highest seal Imprints bookish love. E.F. Gollerbach