ex-libris

Ex-Libris

1
EARLY PRINTED EX-LIBRIS
1470-1700

Gutenberg’s invention of moveable type, in the mid-15th century, enabled the printing in quantity of books previously copied out by hand. Libraries, which until then had only a few volumes, quickly became much larger, and their owners wanted to identify all the books as being their property. Hence the first printed ex-libris, of which numerous copies could be made. The use of printed ex-libris started in Germany, and the great artist Albrecht Dürer was one of the first to follow the fashion: he and the members of his workshop engraved some twenty ex-libris for friends and customers. The practice was consolidated first in Germany and Switzerland by artists who specialised in small formats (Kleinmeistern), and spread during the 16th Century to all parts of Europe.

1a EARLY HAND-COLOURED GERMAN EX-LIBRIS 1470-1586
1b THE GERMAN RENAISSANCE dürer, CRANACH D.A. AND THE ‘KLEINMEISTERN’ 1500-1620
1c GERMAN, AUSTRIAN AND SWISS BAROQUE 1620-1700
1d FROM HENRI II TO LOUIS XIV FRENCH BOOKPLATES 1550-1700
1e FROM TUDORESQUE TO EARLY ARMORIAL BRITISH BOOKPLATES 1625-1700
1f OTHER EUROPEAN COUNTRIES 1580-1700

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