Book sign. What is an ex-libris

The word "ex libris" in Latin means "from books". An ex-libris is a paper label pasted on a book, mainly on the inside of the binding, which indicates who the owner of the book is, and, as a rule, there is a plot picture,

reflecting the profession, range of interests, hobbies, literary attachments of a book lover, the theme or nature of the library. These signs are made by artists in the technique of engraving on wood, linoleum, plastic, metal, plexiglass; there are also pen and ink drawings (with subsequent zincography).

Art bookplates are works of printed graphics. A well-executed, well-printed bookmark, neatly pasted into a book, decorates it, is its original passport. The presence of a library bookplate turns a simple book collection into a full-fledged library.

Ex-libris of Admiral I.F. Kruzenshtern

Ex-libris of Emperor Alexander III

Bookplate by Arkady Strugatsky

Among the artistic ex-libris are distinguished:

• stamps, which reproduce the coat of arms of the owner and are characteristic mainly of the 16th-18th centuries;
• monogrammed with ornamentally designed initials of the owner;
• plot, which became the most popular in the 20th century and are images of landscapes, architectural motifs, various emblems, figuratively reflecting the tastes, interests and predilections, the profession of the library owner.

Ex-libris emerged - in the form it exists today - shortly after the invention of printing in the 16th century in Germany. From those times, graphic miniatures of such great masters as Albrecht Dürer, Lucas Cranach, Hans Holbein M. the fallen have come down to us.

Engraved bookplates appeared in Russia under Peter I. However, in the 60s of the last century, on some handwritten books of the Solovetsky Monastery, drawn signs of the founder of the local library, Dositheus, were found; These signs date back to the beginning of the 90s of the XV century.

For many centuries the ex-libris performed a utilitarian function. He first of all notified about the owner of the book. So, until the 19th century, most personal libraries belonged to the privileged estates, so most of the bookplates were heraldic with the image of the family coat of arms of the owner. Monogram bookmarks were also popular. But an even more spectacular way to designate the owner was a super ex libris: the same coat of arms, but embossed in gold on the top cover of the book cover.

In the 19th century, writers, scientists, artists, and the enlightened bourgeoisie increasingly became the owners of libraries, and the plot (artistic) bookplate is replacing the armorial. The end of the 19th - the beginning of the 20th century is the time of the revival of the art of the book sign in Russia as a branch of graphics. It was at this time that a new form of bookplate was finally found. In contrast to the heraldic bookplate, artists - members of the "World of Art" - A. Benois, E. Lansere, K. Somov, G. Narbut, M. Dobuzhinsky, I. Bilibin, E. Mitrokhin, S. Chekhonin and others - gave everything features of a quality graphic work. This is the harmony of the composition, the filigree accuracy of details, individuality, and a subtle plot. The artist put a particle of his soul into each sign, in each sign the graphic handwriting of the master is guessed. Among the Russian artists who contributed to the art of ex-libris are such major masters of painting and graphics as M. Vrubel, V. Vasnetsov, B. Kustodiev.

In the 1920-1930s. leading masters of graphics - V. Favorsky, A. Kravchenko, N. Kupreyanov, N. Piskarev, P. Schillingovsky, N. Brimmer and others - joined the creation of the ex-libris. famous artists E.Golyakhovsky, G.Kravtsov, V.Frolov, A.Kalashnikov, N.Kalita, G.Ratner, M.Verholantsev, V.Kartovich and many others.

Once again, a big fashion for ex-libris came in the 1960s-1970s. This was caused not so much by the flourishing of graphics, but by the rise of book collecting, the mass bibliophile movement in the country.

At the beginning of the 21st century, interest in ex-libris returns. And he returns, as always, in a slightly new incarnation. First of all, there is a revival of interest in bookplates as a personal book sign, as a keeper of family history.

Manufacturing technologies have also undergone changes. Now the most widespread in the modern book world are bookplates, made in the form of a rubber cliché print. Modern equipment makes it possible to engrave the cliche of an ex-libris so High Quality so that the smallest details of the picture become visible. This manufacturing technique opens up the richest opportunities for the owner of a book sign, as it allows the most complex artistic concept to be realized.

For a long time, bookplates have been collected all over the world. Thanks to this hobby, scientists can explore the stages of printing, the features of the publication of handwritten books, and track the ways of book migration. Thousands of collections of these graphic miniatures are known.

There are two bookplate museums, one of them is located in Moscow. There is an opinion that the growing popularity of book signs will help maintain the image of Russia as the most reading country in the world.

Sources:
Wikipedia http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ex_libris
Site of bookplates from the collection of Yuri Sergeevich Borodaev, a well-known Moscow hereditary collector
The science of advertising http://www.advertology.ru/article23253.html
Site of graphic artist Leonid Shchetnev http://www.booksite.ru/fulltext/she/tne/shetnev_l/index.htm

A true book lover knows what ex libris is (“ex libris” – “from books”).

This Latin word called book sign with text, monogram or picture. So the owner of the book designated its belonging to his library. Bookplates appeared at the same time as handwritten books.

For a long time, books were treated as a source of wisdom, they were valued, they were afraid to lose them. That is why the masters left original miniature pictures in the manuscript - “insert notes”.For example, in ancient Egypt, a small faience tablet with the name of the owner was attached to the papyri. AT medieval Europe right on the book page they placed a portrait of the owner with a motto, or a vignette with the name of the owner, or his family coat of arms.

In the Renaissance, a bookmark was glued from the inside to the cover of the binding, sometimes prints were made directly on the sheet of the book using a signet ring. In the 18th century, printed bookplates were of two types - stamp and type. Armorial bookplates had different ornaments and heraldic symbols. Font book signs depicted complex monograms of two or three letters with crowns above them.

In the 19th century, there were several ways of making bookplates: engraved on copper or wood, lithographic, print with a cliché from a printing alloy. Type ex-libris-labels were widely used. They usually indicated only the name, patronymic and surname of the owner, sometimes indicated additional information: cupboard, shelf, department number, place.

In the 20th century, the most preferred topics were the revolutionary struggle, science, and children's reading. Rubber stamps were used. Stamps with the text "Book Depository", "Library No." are still placed on the books of state and public libraries. Stamps were placed everywhere: from the title pages to the margins of the engravings in the book.

Bookmarks were made by artists, lovers of engraving. Gradually, the ex-libris became an element of the book's decoration, and bibliophiles and collectors became interested in it. Artists A. Durer, P. Picasso, V. Vasnetsov, K. Somov, V. Favorsky, writers Charles Dickens, Arthur Conan Doyle, astronauts and composers, scientists and doctors, athletes and actors had bookmarks.

The creators of home libraries often purchase signs for themselves on individual orders that reflect their needs and aspirations, the nature of the books they collect. The text part of the ex-libris consists of the words “From the library...”, “Book...”, “From the collection of books...” indicating the name and surname of the owner. The emblem of the owner of the book is different from the publisher's mark, the label of the bookbinding workshop, or from the inscription made by the hand of the librarian.

To emphasize the significance of the owner of the sign, to convey the features of the inner world of a person, his connection with society, history, nature, world culture, they used plot-thematic bookplates, painted complex signs, where there were not only figures, but also entire scenes, landscapes, decorated with a pattern of leaves and flowers. Among all the items were books, ships, helms, anchors, dragons, angels, trophies, animals, birds, children, musical instruments, weapons, trees, plants. The bookplate could have the shape of a circle, square, rhombus, oval, rectangle, triangle, contain a background, color.

If you want to have your own ex-libris, then consider how it will be: hand-drawn, stenciled, in the form of a stamp. Do not forget that it may be related to the content of those books that you have, with the nature of your activities and hobbies.

Small-sized graphic book signs turn into whole novels in content, in which nothing can be accidental, because by a book sign it is easy to find out the range of interests of the owner of the book, addictions, inner world, outlook. Libraries, tastes, hobbies, professional interests of the owners are diverse. Among the various plots, the portrait ex-libris stands out, which has a silhouette image of the library owner.

Thought out to the smallest detail, the bookplates deliver aesthetic joy and organically fit into the book. Such bookplates become a kind of element of book design.

Some parents, in order to instill in their children love and respect for the book, to inspire respect for the printed word, to develop artistic taste, came up with children's bookplates. They take us to a fantastic world of fairy tales, travel and adventure.

If you want to make an ex-libris yourself, you can use linoleum.It is soft and easy to work with, which is why the ex-libris is widely used in this technique.But it is best to contact a special master with your order, who will first make a sketch on paper with a pencil, combining the elements of the book sign into one whole - the symbol and initials you have chosen, will develop the entire sign in detail: the composition of the drawing, its size, shape, font.

Artists use different production techniques. For example, woodcut. It's called woodcut. For this method of engraving, hardwoods are taken: beech, palm, boxwood, pear, apple, birch.

A more complex technique is cutting engraving on metal. The drawing is made on steel or copper boards, paint is rubbed into the resulting grooves, and printed under pressure on wet paper.

The etching technique is widely known: the lines of the drawing are not cut on the metal, but are etched with acid, the copper plate is covered with melted wax and resin varnish. On the hardened varnish, the artist draws with a special needle inserted into the pen. Under strong pressure, an engraving is printed from the plate on moistened paper.

Now ex-libris in the form of a print of a cliché made of rubber are common. Modern equipment makes it possible to make such a cliché of such high quality that the smallest details of the most intricate pattern are visible.

The art of the book sign is a unique form of modern printed graphics, its miniature and aphoristic branch, a phenomenon of the culture of reading and collecting, because sometimes an ex-libris is of greater value than the book containing it.

Literature

1. Bludova E. Artist and book. Treasure of my book - bookplate / Young artist. - 1997. - No. 7. - P.44-45.

2. Ivensky S.S. Masters of Russian ex-libris. - L .: Artist of the RSFSR, 1973.

3. Ivensky S. Artist and book. Bookplate / Young artist. - 1981. - No. 7. - S. 46-47.

4. Minaev E.M., Fortinsky S.P. Bookplate. - M.: Book, 1970.

- (from Latin ex libris from books), a book sign, a label indicating that the book belongs to any owner. Sticks to the inside of the book binding or cover. Bookplates appeared with the beginning of book printing, and engraved ... Art Encyclopedia

ex libris- A.A. Sidorov. Artist A.I. Kravchenko. Woodcut print. 1921. Ex-libris (from the Latin ex libris from books), a book sign, a label indicating that a book belongs to any owner. There is a superex libris imprinted on ... ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary

EXLIBRIS, EX LIBRIS (lat. Ex libris from books). A library or book sign is a label showing that books belong to a famous person or library. Dictionary of foreign words included in the Russian language. Chudinov A.N., 1910. bookplate (lat. ... ... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

- (from the Latin ex libris from books), a book mark, a label indicating that the book belongs to any owner. There is a super ex libris imprinted on the binding or spine of a book, and a paper ex libris placed on the inside ... ... Modern Encyclopedia

- (from lat. ex libris from books) a book sign indicating that the book belongs to any owner. There is a super ex libris, printed in relief on the binding or spine of a book, and a paper ex libris, usually placed on the inside ... ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

EXLIBRIS, bookplate, male. (lat. ex libris from books). A label (usually artistically executed) with the name of the owner of a book, pasted on the inside of its binding or cover. Art ex-libris. Ex-libris exhibition. (Has come from… … Explanatory Dictionary of Ushakov

Vignette, label, label, sticker, sign Dictionary of Russian synonyms. bookplate n., number of synonyms: 5 vignette (7) ... Synonym dictionary

Ex-libris, a, m. On the book: an artistically executed label with the owner's designation or a sign, a vignette with this designation. Explanatory dictionary of Ozhegov. S.I. Ozhegov, N.Yu. Shvedova. 1949 1992 ... Explanatory dictionary of Ozhegov

- (Greek ex libris - from books) - a book sign indicating that the book belongs to any owner. Big dictionary in cultural studies .. Kononenko B.I .. 2003 ... Encyclopedia of cultural studies

An artistically designed book mark, a label, a vignette with the name of the owner of the book or with some symbolic pattern, pasted on the inside of the binding or cover of the book Glossary of business terms. Akademik.ru. 2001 ... Glossary of business terms

Books

• Entertaining medicine in pictures for doctors and citizens who sympathize with them. Medical bookplate (set of 2 books), . Petersburg cardiologist Yuri Viktorovich Shubik wrote a book in which he talks about his collection of medical bookplates. And he does it so excitingly that you want to immediately follow ...