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ex-libris THE WORLD OF EX-LIBRIS |
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A historical retrospective 1 EARLY PRINTED EX-LIBRIS 1470-1700 |
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1c
GERMAN, AUSTRIAN AND SWISS BAROQUE 1620-1700 Although few ex-libris of the baroque period can compete in beauty with the finest Renaissance pieces, many of them are of stylistic and historical interest. The ‘heraldic intention’ of the artist, i.e. to present the arms of his client in a clear and unequivocal manner, tended to diminish in favour of composing an aes-thetically pleasing image in which the arms were still usually central. The fine lace engraving of the Renaissance is lost, decoration tends to be heavier and more dominant in the image, and grace is often discarded in favour of forceful pictorial statements. |
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1c/1. Raphael Sadeler (D, 1584-1632)  BIBL. BAYERN, C2,
224 x 139, c.1623. W1376.
Viz. L-W p. 161, ill. p. 161, Gelli p. 343. Another ex-libris for the Electoral library of the Duke of Bavaria at Munich, by the Antwerp-born artist Sadeler. After its being ransacked in 1622, the library was progressively reconstituted. This typically baroque plate was made in three sizes of which this is the largest. |
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1c/2. ? (CH) JOHANN JAKOB WETTER, C2, 117 x 153, 1625.
Weg7622.
One might think that the second ex-libris in this section disproves what is written before, but there is an explanation. The arms and laurel wreath are taken from an earlier plate (Jakob Wetter, Weg 7618) and the owner asked the artist to add the ribbons and inscriptions. It has not been determined whether the date of 1595 relates to the owner (date of birth?) or perhaps to the earlier ex-libris’ date. |
1c/3. ? (D) KRESS VON KRESSENSTEIN, C2, 154 x 123, c.1630.
Another splendid plate for the Kress family, perhaps for Ferdinand Sigismund. Only about ten years separate it from the Troschel/Hauer plate (1b/32), but its style is completely baroque. |
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1c/4. Wolfgang Kilian (D, 1654-1732) BISHOF SEBASTIAN
MYLLER, C2, 100 x 78, 1635. W1420.
Viz. L-W p.168, Warren ill. p.192. The Augsburg artist who made this charming plate for the Bishop of Adramytti was a pupil of Dominik Custos. Seven ex-libris are known by his hand. This ex-libris is a good example of how rigorous heraldic design was at times abandoned in favour of an aesthetic image. |
1c/5. ? (D) WOLF JAKOB UNGELTER VON DEISSENHAUSEN, C2,
117 x 84, 1638. W2300.
Certainly a less accomplished artist than Kilian engraved this plate. The pictural elements are all those of the late Renaissance, but the composition is heavier. Also, it can be noted that the crest seems not well related to the helm, on which it should sit – a typical sign of decadence in armorial representation. |
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1c/6. Raphael Custos (D, 1590-1651) WILHELM UND CLARA
KRESS VON KRESSENSTEIN, C2, 154 x 123, c.1630. NiW.
Viz. L-W p. 166, ill. p. 167 This rare plate for husband and wife is by another member of the Custos family in Augsburg; Raphael died in Frankfurt. Its heraldic composition is superb, and the ex-libris shows how the Renaissance ‘door’, with its floor, columns and arch, is treated quite differently by the artist of the baroque period. |
1c/7. J.F.W. (CH) HANS RUDOLF UND ELISABETH VON ERLACH,
C2, 159 x 108, c.1665. Weg 1858.
Ill. Weg. pl. 26
A fine example of decadent baroque style. The two shields on the ex-libris are the same, as the second wife of Hans Rudolf von Erlach (1627-1678), Elisabeth von Erlach, was his cousin. They married in 1663, and the ex-libris was made soon after. |
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1c/8. Andreas Khol (D, 1624-1657) PFINZING VON
HENFENFELD, C2, 356 x 248, c.1650. W1571.
Viz. L-W p. 168, ill. p. 169. Leiningen, although he mistakenly attributes this plate to a member of the Pfinzing-Gründlach family rather than Pfinzing von Henfenfeld, rightly comments that Kohl was one of the finest artists of his time. The ex-libris is one of the largest of pre-1880 German bookplates, and a good example of baroque art at its height. |
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1c/9. D. Krüger (D) GEORG-CARL VOLCKAMER VON
KIRCHENSITTENBACH, C2, 125 x 120, 1674. W2338.
Viz. L-W p. 172, ill. p. 171. One of the earliest ex-libris where the arms, held by a very baroque putto, are set in a complete landscape. This trend toward pictorial ex-libris was to develop more markedly in the 18th century. |
1c/10. ? (D) CHRISTOF RAIMUND SCHIFFLIN, C2, 126 x 75,
c.1680. W1904.
Although this plate, probably by an Augsburg artist, dates from the late 17th century, it heralds the rococo style which was to become common some sixty years later. |
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1c/11. Christof J. Stenglin (D) BISHOF JOSEF FRANZ
FREISING, C3, 83 x 63, 1696. W557.
Viz. L-W p. 172, 240. Stenglin of Munich engraved several ex-libris for ecclesiastical personalities, but this, the most charming, is very much in the style of its time This Stenglin should not be confused with Johann Christof Stenglin (D, 1715-1770), who also engraved several ex-libris. |
1c/12. ? (CH/D) ABT GEROLD II ZUR LAUBEN, C2, 113 x 70,
1697. W 1721/Weg 5902.
Viz. Gerster ill. p. 259, SBEL 1904 p. 95. The great Benedictine abbey of Rheinau, founded in 778 and dissolved in 1862, had a famous library. Nearly all the abbots had ex-libris, from 1500 until the 19th century. Wegmann records 41 such ex-libris. Abbot Gerold II’s bookplate is very old-fashioned for the time, and he had a different plate made later (Weg 5903). |
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1c/13. ? (A/D) JOHANN CHRISTOF GRAF PUECHAIM, C2,
175 x 127, c.1700. W1420.
A perfect example of triumphant baroque style, with caryatids and gargoyle masks. Austria’s great contribution to baroque art is well-known, and Count Puechaim (alternately spelt Büchaim) had the Austrian arms placed in the centre of his quarters. Research could indicate whether he had family ties with the Habsburgs. |
1c/14. ? (D) AUGUSTIN, BISHOF VON SPEYER, C2, 190 x 132,
c.1700.
A heavy baroque episcopal plate, where the artist took great liberties with armorial presentation in order to create an aesthetically pleasing composition. |
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