An ex-libris is a mark of a book’s owner, ideally made using a noble graphic technique. When this mark is created by an artist, a book gains artistic and aesthetic value after the ex-libris is pasted into it. If the miniature work of art is made by a child, it gains in originality and beauty...
The oldest ownership mark, held in a London museum, dates from the fourteenth century BCE—a clay tablet identifying a papyrus scroll belonging to the Egyptian ruler Amenhotep IV. From the Middle Ages, ex-librises painted on the title page of a manuscript have survived; they generally depict the book owner’s coat of arms. An ownership mark in the form of a pasted-in paper slip appeared in Germany in the second half of the 15th century. The first surviving Polish ex-libris dates from 1516 and was made at the printing house of Hieronim Wietor, a distinguished printer and publisher from Lubomierz. This ex-libris indicated the ownership of Maciej Drzewiecki, Primate and Grand Chancellor of the Crown. But enough history.
The present day provides equally excellent examples of miniature works of graphic art, this time displayed in the new, intimate gallery of the Miejska Biblioteka Publiczna in Bolesławiec. This distinguished cultural institution is preparing for the grand 50th anniversary of its work in the community, which falls in November 1995. The pleasant mini-gallery displays works submitted to the competition. There were quite a few: the youngest children (aged 6–10) created 6 ex-librises, older children (aged 11–15) submitted as many as 66 works, and young people aged 16–17 presented 8 miniature graphic works. An exceptionally abundant and beautiful collection, all of which fit into the new “FORMAT” gallery. The best works will be awarded in the autumn of this year. The Mayor of the City, engineer JÓZEF KRÓL, attended the gallery’s inauguration; he was also the first to sign the commemorative book.