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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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2e
THE 18TH CENTURY BALANCE BETWEEN HERALDIC AND PICTORIAL |
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2e/10. Ross & J . Skinner (GB, c.1700-1753)  JOHN
WILTSHIRE, C2, 127 x 96, c.1740. F 32183.
Viz. BNL #57.
An amusing and unusual plate. The lateral figures seem bored, and the little putto points negligently to the arms behind him. |
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2e/11. George Vertue (GB, 1684-1756) GENTLEMEN’S
SOCIETY OF SPALDING, C2, 123 x 164, 1735.
One of the rarest and most beautiful ex-libris of the 18th century.
Disciple of Vandergucht, Vertue was official engraver to the
Society of Antiquaries in London from 1717 to 1756. When one of
its members, Maurice Johnson (1688-1755) founded the
Gentlemen’s Society of Spalding, he called on Vertue to engrave
his design. Vertue also engraved Johnson’s plate (see 2d/8), In
this composition Minerva and the mermen are of far greater
importance than the shield.
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2e/12. ? (F) LOUIS DE LAVERGNE, C2, 132 x 93, c.1750.
In this ex-libris the shield appears as a convenient device upon which to lean. A fine plate, with depth and good composition, by a very professional engraver who has not so far been identified. |
2e/13 Francesco Marroni (I) FRANCESCO ANCAJANI, C2,
50 x 54, c.1770. Gelli p. 17.
At the same time, in Italy, this plate puts the arms to one side: the putti and book are just as important, if not more, than the shield. |
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2e/14. J. K. Sherwin (GB) JOHN MITFORD, C3, 92 x 97,
c.1760. F 20762.
Another delightful plate. This time the putto carries the shield next to him , where it seems least aesthetically disturbing. |
2e/15. ? (GB) CUST/BROWNLOWE, C2, 69 x 52, 1791. F7721.
A typical British ‘urn’ gift plate, where an inscription replaces the arms in the emplacement where they are normally shown. |
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2e/16. CAGNONI (I) CONTE FILIPPO LINATI, C2, 62 X 85,
C.1780. GELLI P. 224/1.
In this ex-libris which belonged to a colonel in the Ducal army of Parma, his portrait takes the usual place of a shield. |
2e/17. L. Paret & B. Amettler (I + CH) SALVI, C2, 81 x 95,
1794.
In this allegorical plate for a member of the Genoese family Salvi, the name is indicated by a play on the word Salus. One would almost expect a shield somewhere in the composition, but it is absent. |
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2e/18. Jean Baptiste Moreau (F) IPSE, C3, 55 x 70, c.1760.
Sculptor, student of fine arts at Dijon, Moreau – the father of the
celebrated Moreau-le-Jeune – chose this fantastic canopied bed
as an ex-libris motif for himself. One cannot imagine that he did
not see the parallel between this image and that of a crown and
mantling.
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End of 2e
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