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Explore Beethoven’s Ex Libris: Artistic Tributes

Delve into a world of artistic homage with our collection of Ex Libris dedicated to the legendary composer, Ludwig van Beethoven. These exquisitely crafted bookplates offer a glimpse into Beethoven’s influence on various artists and book owners. Explore the symbolism and artistry within each Ex Libris, and gain a deeper appreciation for the enduring legacy of this musical giant.

Ex-libris of Beethoven
-1-

Created for K. Izekovic
by an unknown artist
Description: 200 Year Anniv. Issue
Source: Czech Republic
Collection of Th. Roman.

Ex-libris of Beethoven
-2-

Created for Jan Rhebergen
by Ferenc Gal (Hungary)
Description: Beethoven and two scores of music
Source: Holland
Collection of Peter Rath.

Ex-libris of Beethoven
-3-

Created for A. Zahora
by Ladislav J. Kaspar
Technique: Engraving
Size: 126 mm x 95 mm
Description: Original interpreted sketch portrait, typography
Collection of Peter Rath.
   

Ex-libris of Beethoven
-4-

Created for Jeanne Link
Artist: Henrie Bacher
(born 1890 in Saargemünd, died 1934)
Technique: wood engraving
Description: Beethoven face based on mask, sheet of music
Source: Germany
Collection of Th. Roman.

Ex-libris of Beethoven
-5-

Created for Minna Elo
by Lembit Löhmus
Technique: Copper Engraving
Source: Estonia
Collection of Th. Roman.

Ex-libris of Beethoven
-6-

Created for E. Müller
Technique: Wood Engraving
Size: 90 mm x 55 mm
Description: Mask based portrait, bird at top, banner EM , lyre, notes, book, clefs as decoration, larel-wreat, keyboard, mandolin
Source: Germany
Collection of Th. Roman.
   

Ex-libris of Beethoven
-7-

Created for Joan Fisas
by Bruno da Osimo
(born 1888 in Osimo, died 1962 at Ancona)
Technique: Wood Engraving
Description: Somber portrait original with Oakleaf twig
Source: Italy
Collection of Th. Roman.

Ex-libris of Beethoven
-8-

Created for Paula Schmid
by Hubert Schmid (lives in Krems)
Technique: Wood Engraving
Source: Germany
Collection of Th. Roman.

Ex-libris of Beethoven
-9-

Created for Arpad Szendy
by an unknown artist
Technique: Copper Engraving
Source: Hungary
Collection of Peter Rath
   

Ex-libris of Beethoven
-10-

Created for P. Ackmauer (?)
by F.J. (?)
Technique: Wood Engraving
Description: Mask based portrait, text written as cryptogram, music notes
Source: Germany
Collection of Peter Rath via Th. Roman.

Ex-libris of Beethoven
-11-

Created for Dr. L. Lamac
by Josef Weiser
Technique: Linoleum cut
Description: Portrait with lyre, Beethoven and banner with years 1770-1827
Source: Czech Republic
Collection of Th. Roman.

Ex-libris of Beethoven
-12-

Created for Betty Voorspoels
by Walter Wuyts
Technique: Linoleum cut, 3 colors
Size: 100 mm x 100 mm
Description: Original interpreted sketch portrait, typography
Year: 1988
Source: Holland
Collection of Peter Rath.
   

Ex-libris of Beethoven
-13-

Created for Emil Traub
by Rudolph Höhne
Lithograph printed by Kunstanstalt Kaufe – Gold Foil
Source: Mannheim, Germany
Collection of Th.Roman.

Ex-libris of Beethoven
-14-

Created for the Musikbibliothek Peters
by Max Klinger about 1894
Technique used was both etching and engraving
Source: Bernd Dehmer, Germany.

Ex-libris of Beethoven
-15-

Created for Knud Fougt, Denmark
by Antal Fery, Hungary, in 1965
Wood Engraving, two colors
Image after Beethoven statue face in Hungary and the four string instruments suggest Quartet
Collection of Th. Roman.
   

Ex-libris of Beethoven
-16-

Created for V. Bujarek
by Vojtech Cinybulk – Praha
Wood Engraving
Collection of Th. Roman.

Ex-libris of Beethoven
-17-

Ex-Musicis created for Alfred Legler
by Charlotte Naumann, Dresden
Copper etching
Collection of Sergio Carrino, Muggia, Italy.

Ex-libris of Beethoven
-18-

Created by Franziska Jaksch.
By permission of the Ira F. Brilliant Center for Beethoven Studies, San Jose State University.
   

Ex-libris of Beethoven
-19-

Made for Nora Wydenhuck, Vienna
by Erhard Amadeus-Dier
Technique: Etching (Radierung)
Made in 1918
By permission of the Ira F. Brilliant Center for Beethoven Studies, San Jose State University.

Ex-libris of Beethoven
-20-

Made for Alice Koch
by Hubert Wilm
Main theme is Arion riding the Dolphin
Technique: Etching with remarque of Beethoven
Made in 1914
© B. Dehmer, Germany.

Ex-libris of Beethoven
-21-

Made for E George Boreham
by Anna Lazlo (Hungaria)
The image is a bust of Beethoven on a pedestal
Technique: C3 multicolour
Made in 1932
Artist and owner are Australian.
   

Ex-libris of Beethoven
-22-

Created by Alfred Soder (Switzerland)
Violonist with the face of Beethoven in the background
Created in 1907
From the Collection of Marianne Kalt,
Switzerland.

Ex-libris of Beethoven
-23-

Ex-musicis created for Argimiro Santos
by Julio Fernandez Sàez (Spain)
Technique: wood engraving
Description: portrait with the score and words of the Ode to Joy
Size: 8 cm x 10,5 cm
Collection of Edwin Jewell,
Australia.

Ex-libris of Beethoven
-24-

Created for Adolf Angst
by Walter Kornhas
Description: In the center: Columns of Roman ruins; Famous poets and composers forming forming a wreath crowned by Beethoven. Clockwise: Dante, Shakespeare, Homer, Hoelderlin, Mozart — A Heraldic coat of arms, bearing a goat — Haydn, Bach, Goethe, Cervantes and Aristotle. The music at bottom is the 5th Symphony and there is a trio performing, violin, flute and Forte piano.
Size: 13,9 cm x 18,3 cm
Created in 1916.
   

Ex-libris of Beethoven
-25-

Created for Eduard Erben
Pianist with Beethoven’s mask at the rear
Collection of Bert Groeneveld (the Netherlands).

Ex-libris of Beethoven
-26-

Created for Caroline Freifrau von Dalberg
by A. Cossmann
Description: life mask of Beethoven with black mourning crepe veil and wildflowers
Collection of Peter Rath.

Ex-libris of Beethoven
-27-

Created for Carolus Parvus
Description: Lyra with the names of Haydn, Beethoven and Mozart.
   

Ex-libris of Beethoven
-28-

Created for Paul Bachmann
Description: muse with a lyra, and a bust of Beethoven (?).

Ex-libris of Beethoven
-29-

Created for Archduke Eugen von
Savoyen
by Alfred Cossmann
Description: painting of Beethoven on a monument, and a city can be seen in the background
Origin: Austria.

Ex-libris of Beethoven
-30-

Created for Paul Marchandise
by Julio Fernandez Saez
Description: bust of Beethoven with a collection of stamps, in the foreground, and a tower which can be seen through the window, in the background.
   

Ex-libris of Beethoven
-31-

Created for Rosa Baucis
by Louis Garcia Falgas
Description: Beethoven with roses.

Ex-libris of Beethoven
-32-

Created for Vlastimil Blazek
by von Bayros
Description: Small Beethoven mask, under which a scene can be seen – A hard working man climb a mountain carrying a heavy rock; Women (nymphs) are watching him.

Ex-libris of Beethoven
-33-

Created for Oskar Neuhardt
by von Bayros
Description: Beethoven mask, above which is a nymph with lightning in one hand and caressing an eagle with the other hand.
   

Ex-libris of Beethoven
-34-

Created for Henri Hanlet
by Hedwig Pauwels (Belgium)
Created in 1994
Technique: Copper Etching C 3/2
Collection of H.Hanlet (Luxembourg)
Thanks to Robert H. Riess (Luxembourg).

Ex-libris of Beethoven
-35-

Created for David Ianni
by Hedwig Pauwels (Belgium)
Created in 1994
Technique: Copper Etching C 3/2
Collection of Hedwig Pauwels (Belgium)
Thanks to Robert H. Ries (Luxembourg).

Ex-libris of Beethoven
-36-

Created for Karl Bock
by Richard Lux (Austria)
Technique : Etching.

   

Ex-libris of Beethoven
-37-

Created for Henrik Horvath
(Historian, HU , 1888- 1942)
Exlibris (Konyve)
by Alfred Forbath (HU)
Cliche presents drawing based on the Beethoven life-masque, with black cat entwined with laurel branch.
Collection: Peter Rath, Wien.

Ex-libris of Beethoven
-38-

Ex-Musicis created for Argimiro Santos (Spain)
by Fernandez Sàez (Spain)
Technique: Copper etching and engraving
Description: Beethoven seated on a marble bench, composing on loose paper. Behind him statue of a female, perhaps a Muse or Goddess, and in the background a row of trees suggesting a park or a boulevard.
Collection: Paul Scheltens.

Ex-libris of Beethoven
-39-

Created by V. V. Pokatov
for Alla Bulaeva
Portrait of Beethoven above a village, musical score, muse with her lira
Size: 8,7 cm x 4 cm.

   

Ex-libris of Beethoven
-40-

Created by Vasily Mocshenko
for E. Getmansky
Beethoven portrait in font of an open piano
The text says: ‘Freedom and Progress is the Goal of the Art and also of Life’
Size: 6 cm x 4,5 cm.

Ex-libris of Beethoven
-41-

Created by Sviatoslav Richter
for himself
Portrait of Beethoven with the famous four first notes of the fifth symphony.

Ex-libris of Beethoven
-42-

Created for Magrit and Gunter Hold.

   

Ex-libris of Beethoven
-43-

Created by Lyudmila Chuvashevskaya
for Dobkin in 1970
Portraits of Lenin (born in 1870)
and Beethoven (died in 1770).

Ex-libris of Beethoven
-44-

Created for Frajcsi Ciborne
Beautiful portrait of Beethoven with the castle of Martonsavar.

Ex-libris of Beethoven
-45-

Ex-libris and es-musicis
created for Dr Klara Vida.

   

Ex-libris of Beethoven
-46-

Created by Alexey Yupatov
for Dr E. D. Logachev
Portraits of Beethoven and of Philosophers in ruins which looks like books.

Ex-libris of Beethoven
-47-

Created by Jindrich Pilecek
for Dr W. Jensch
The text says: ‘L. van Beethoven – An die ferne Geliebte’
1993 .

Ex-libris of Beethoven
-48-

Created by David Bekker
for Joop Sliep
Portrait of Beethoven with Napoléon, Goethe and Schiller and also music instruments, a moonlight and a muse
Collection: Silvio Forni.

   

Ex-libris of Beethoven
-49-

Created by OswinVolkamer, Leipzig, Germany
for Dr. Peter Labuhn, Stendal, Germany
Image of Beethoven based on an earlier image by Stieler, 1820 and attributed to the music of the 5th Symphony
Technique, copper engraving, ( C2 )
Made in 2004
Our thanks to Dr. Labuhn and Peter Rath.

  

We invite you to embark on a visual journey through Beethoven’s legacy. This collection of Ex Libris provides a unique perspective on the composer’s impact, offering a treasure trove for music enthusiasts and art collectors alike.

Frequently Asked Questions about Ex Libris (bookplates) celebrating the life and works of Ludwig van Beethoven:

An Ex Libris, also known as a bookplate, is a label or stamp typically placed inside the front cover of a book to indicate ownership. These decorative emblems often feature the owner’s name, coat of arms, or a motto. Ex Libris dedicated to famous figures, like Beethoven, can depict imagery related to their life or work, creating a fascinating connection between the owner and the composer.

This collection offers a window into how different artists interpreted Beethoven’s legacy. Some Ex Libris feature portraits of the composer, while others showcase motifs from his most famous works. By studying the symbolism and artistic styles within each piece, viewers gain a deeper understanding of Beethoven’s enduring influence across various artistic disciplines.

The existence of Beethoven-themed Ex Libris speaks volumes about the composer’s widespread popularity and cultural significance. These bookplates were often commissioned by music lovers and scholars who sought to personalize their book collections and demonstrate their admiration for Beethoven. The variety of styles and themes within the collection reflects the multifaceted nature of Beethoven’s genius.

The collection contains a mix of original and reproduced Ex Libris. Original bookplates are valuable historical artifacts, offering a direct link to past owners and artistic movements. Reproductions, on the other hand, allow a wider audience to appreciate the artistry and symbolism inherent in these unique pieces.

The history of Ex Libris stretches back centuries, with early examples dating back to the 15th century. Several museums and libraries house extensive Ex Libris collections, and there are numerous resources available online to delve deeper into this fascinating art form.