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ex-libris THE WORLD OF EX-LIBRIS |
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A historical retrospective 2 EX-LIBRIS FROM THE ENLIGHTENMENT TO DECADENCE 1700 -1860 |
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2i
BRITISH PICTORIAL EX-LIBRIS 1700 -1800 In the 18th century, British pictorial ex-libris were of very high quality. The arrival in England of certain Dutch, Italian and French artists brought aesthetic canons which were quickly adopted by their British counterparts. They have, however, a certain English flavour and quality which is perhaps even more pleasing to the modern eye than their ‘Continental’ equivalents. From the workshop of Thomas Bewick (1753-1828) came in the late 18th century the ‘discovery’ of wood engraving, a technique which was to become very popular throughout the 19th century for printed illustrations, and remains today a typically British graphic art medium. Although bookplate quality and inventiveness declined in the 19th century, ex-libris usage remained wide-spread. This may be the reason that when a wave of new aesthetic creativity appeared in the second half of the century, it was in Britain that ex-libris first regained their quality. |
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2i/1. ? (GB)  ? REEVE, C2, 119 x 77, c.1710. F4808.
A good example of a cypher plate, it also shows that identifying ownership is sometimes almost impossible. This cypher is generally read as ‘RB’, but the motto is that of the Reeve family, so it may be ‘BR’. |
2i/2. Bernard Baron (GB, c.1700-1762) JAMES GIBBS, C3,
94 x 120, 1736. F11828.
Viz. BNL #80
Baron was born in Paris and settled in London in 1712. His rare ex-libris for the celebrated architect James Gibbs (1682-1754) is a fine example of a portrait plate. |
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2i/3. William Hogarth (GB, 1697-1764) JOHN HOLLAND,
C3, 107 x 103, c.1735. F15102.
Viz. ELJ Vol. iii p. 1, BNL #55.
Painter and engraver born in London, Hogarth was one of the great exponents of cartoon, caricature and moralizing painting. He engraved three ex-libris, of which the one for John Holland, heraldry artist, is the most important. This is the rare first state of the plate, of which the shield was re-engraved to reduce the lion rampant’s size and that of the fleur-de-lys. The second state is illustrated in the catalogue Ex-libris o el arte de identificar sus libros, Bogotá, 1988. Though more formal than much of Hogarth’s work, this print shows the sureness of line and perfection of composition characteristic of his art. Previously in the Summers collection. |
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2i/4. Sir Robert Strange (GB, 1721-1792) ANDREW
LUMISDEN, C2, 107 x 77, c.1750. F18900.
Viz. Allen, pp. .135-137. Engraved by Strange for his brother-in-law, both of them Jacobites, it is a typically curious allegorical of its time, but odd in its components, which include busts of Cicero and Sir Robert Craig of Riccarton. |
2i/5. ? (GB) DOBBS, C2, 59 x 68, c.1750. F33166.
A quaint allegorical with an unequivocal and weird message. Did it perhaps belong to Arthur Dobbs, of County Antrim, whose religious allegorical (F8762) is equally strange? |
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2i/6. ? (GB) PAUL & ISAAC VAILLANT, C2, 123 x 78, c.1780.
F34401.
Huguenot booksellers in London, the Vaillants used this as both a bookplate and a trade advertisement. It was a matter of competition, for other booksellers in the same area at the same time used equally ambitious plates. de Caylus (1692-1765). |
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2i/7. Granville Sharp (GB, 1735-1813) MESSRS. SHARP, C2,
121 x 107, c.1780.
Viz. BNL #91.
Granville Sharp was the ninth son of Thomas Sharp and lived in London with his brothers James and William. He was a scholar and philanthropist, and had a decisive role in the fight for the emancipation of slaves. The brothers Sharp used this ex-libris for their music books. |
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2i/8. Edward Edwards (GB, 1738-1806) & John Hall (GB,
1739-1797) WILLIAM AYTON, C2, 94 x 65, c.1780. F 1044.
Viz. BPSN, June 1981. A basically elegant and impressive composition designed by Edwards and engraved by Hall, it shows perhaps Hygieia, tenderly regarding the putto at her side. If it is the goddess of health, however, she has been careless, for she needed the services of a chiropodist years ago. |
2i/9. ? (GB) FRANCES ANN HOARE, C2, 92 x 63, c.1780.
F 14857.
Viz. BNL #103. For the wife of Sir Richard Hoare, Baronet, of Stourhead. It has been suggested the plate was copied from a design by Angelica Kauffman. The bust is her own portrait, still at Stourhead, the family home. No other British family used so many beautiful allegorical ex-libris. |
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