The exhibition “Money in Small Graphics”
This exhibition was devoted to ex-libris
- a specific genre of graphics. An ex-libris is a decorated
paper book-plate or label bearing the owner’s name, initials,
coat of arms, name and picture of its bearer’s institution.
It is pasted into the internal side of a book or its front
page. The oldest ever known ex-libris was produced in
Egypt in the year 1400 B.C. In the middle- age European
manuscripts ex-libris were drawn in the form of a coat
of arms. The development of printing shifted carving of
ex-libris on wood, copper, stone, or engraving them on
linoleum. Starting with the middle of the 15th century
allegoric pictures, mottoes, maxims, sometimes portraits
were depicted in ex-libris. They indicated a book owner’s
profession or some of his or her predilections. In the
16 the century ex-libris spread Europe-wide. Books were
decorated by super ex-libris - in the process of book
binding a coat of arms, monogram, various symbols were
impressed on its cover. A 1518 gothic style super ex-libris
of Sigismund the Old library is the most ancient ex-libris
known in Lithuania. The coat of arms of Sigismund the
Old and his wife Bona Sforca drawn on a transcript of
the First Grand Duchy of Lithuania Statute are regarded
prototypes of the Lithuanian ex-libris. A Renaissance
type ex-libris of Povilas Alđëniđkis created by an unknown
artist about 1533 (a wood carving) is the most ancient
ex-libris printed in Lithuania. In the second half of
the 19th century the first ex-libris in the Lithuanian
language saw daylight in Lithuania Minor. Later ex-libris
were made by M.K. Čiurlionis, G. Bagdonavičius, M. Bulaka,
M. Dobuţinskis, P. Galaunë, P. Rimđa, K. Đimonis and other
artists. As works of art, ex-libris are collected. Their
authors, amateurs and supporters join in clubs, associations.
They organize ex-libris exhibitions, issue ex-libris publications.
The exhibition “ Money in Small Graphics”
contained ex-libris from collections of the Trakai History
Musem. These works were demonstrated in the 4th international
ex-libris triennial competition “ Numismaticis”, arranged
by the Museum and the Lithuanian Ex-librists Club. The
international ex-libris competition on numismatics was
announced in 1999 and was in great focus of many artists.
Even 117 artists from 25 countries presented several hundreds
of ex-libris created in the course of recent 25 years.
Ex-libris of the competition winners Marius Liugaila (Lithuania),
Zdislav Maj (Poland), Jozef Dudek (Check Republic) were
displayed in the exhibition. It also contained ex-libris
of special prize and diplomas winners Evgenij Bortnikov
(Russia), Luigi Casalino ( Italy), Jolanta Galdikaitë(
Lithuania), Stanislav Kazimoff
( Russia), Vasily Leonenko ( Ukraine), Olga Pogribna-Koch
( Ukraine), Tadeusz Szumarski ( Poland). Small graphics
works of artists from Yugoslavia, Belgium, Argentina,
France, Japan, Mexico, Germany and other states were also
demonstrated. The majority of artist realized their ideas
and plans on a coin - the object of numismatics. In the
exhibition you could find a number of colour and non-colour
ex-libris as flax engravings and also drawn in the manner
of classical lithography, serigraphy and wood carving.
Intaglio metal technique characteristic of subtle eau-fortes
made in acquatinta and mezzo-tinto manner was popular
among the exhibition participants.
The exhibition showed the variety of book-notes,
revealed the artistic value of an ex-libris-representative
of small graphics, conveyed the society’s attitude to
money and its importance in one’s life.
