Tree of Knowledge - Bookplate - Printmaking

Author: W. Unger. Signed by the author. Name: Gerhard Ramberg bookplate. Techniques: powder etching (Aquatint) and copper plate etching (etching). Year: 1890/1910. Dimensions: 11.3 x 7.8 cm (screen) 30 x 21 cm (thick cardboard). Introduction of works: Bookplates originated around the 15th century. Since books were not widely available at that time and were expensive, most of the people who could read books were church monks and nobles. In order to represent the ownership of books, engravings (mostly woodcuts at the time) were used to print representative books. The owner's emblem, marked with the Latin word EX-LIBRIS, is affixed to the butterfly page of the book, indicating "This book belongs to me." Later, as printing became more and more popular, the number of books printed increased, but the tradition of bookplates was still preserved. In the 19th century, with the help of many artists and bibliophiles, bookplates became a unique art department. Due to their small size, they are often referred to as paper Gemstone. Bookplates are a sign of ownership and therefore reflect the preferences and tastes of the book collector. Artists have also developed a wealth of themes for bookplates.