Exhibition View
The bookplate, or ex-libris, which is an adaptation from the Latin generally taken to mean 'from the books of', used to be a mark of possession that the book lover pastes in his books, usually on the inside of the front cover, to denote his ownership. It was originally used to mark the gift and ownership of manuscript books in Germany about 1480. The earliest English bookplate dates circa 1520, the earliest French design circa 1574, whilst in America the date is circa 1642. One of the sixteenth century English bookplates was made for no less a personage than Sir Nicholas Bacon, the father of Sir Francis Bacon.
Exhibition View
Book-Plates by W.J, Hardy, F.S.A., 1893. Published by Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner & Co., Ltd.
DANSKE LAEGE-EXLIBRIS, by A. D. Henriksen og Kay P. Nielsen, 1943. Published by H. Hagerup's Forlag.
English Book-Plates by Egerton Castle, 1893. Published by New York: G. Bell & Sons, London.
The art of the bookplate changes, and remains a living thing that develops and continues to exist in modern times. Bookplates and ex-libris are admired today as miniature works of art allowing collectors to build an affordable collection of original and often signed art works in a variety of printmaking techniques such as etching, woodblock, intaglio and aquatint.
Exhibition View
"Printmaking bookplates inherently carry the gene of dissemination and the warmth of popular culture. Through the nature of their plurality, they break through the elite monopoly, returning the esthetic right to the masses; they resist the coldness of machinery with the warmth of handcraft, preserving human piety in the beauty of reproduction; and with their unique modern language, they inject contemporary vitality into tradition. This art form, which endows profound thoughts into something tangible, perceptible, and approachable, is precisely the medium that continues the cultural lineage and bridges the refined and the common," said Zhao Jinxiu, curator of this exhibition.
Exhibition View of Representative Works by Invited Artists
Exhibition View of Submissions from the Public
With a detailed introduction and digital browsing approach, the exhibition includes four sections: ex-libris collection by CAFA Library, classic books on bookplates, representative works by ex-libris masters and submissions from the public. By reviewing the history and techniques of bookplates, this exhibition demonstrates how printmaking has transmitted cultural values across generations while evolving with modern artistic movements in China.
About the Exhibition
Organizer: The Library of Central Academy of Fine Arts
Dates: December 30, 2025-April 30, 2026
Venue: The Gallery on the 2nd Floor of CAFA Library
Curator: Zhao Jinxiu
Executive Curators: Zhang Xuan, Chen Yujia
Exhibition Coordinators: Hou Haibo, Cao Xiao, Zhang Xin, Ye Xinze
Collection Management: Yang Xi, Liu Yang
Courtesy of CAFA Library, edited (EN) by CAFA ART INFO.
