An ex libris (lat. from the book) is a note of ownership. Since the end of the late Middle Ages, it has been applied to the inside of the book cover in the form of a stamp, often in libraries. From modern times onwards, it was replaced by images printed on paper by artists, which were glued into the books.
Initially, these tended to be heraldic depictions such as coats of arms, but later individualized motifs and written ownership notes became common. An ex-libris can be executed in various techniques - such as etching, woodcut or lithography. The ex-libris reached its peak at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century. It became an artistic genre in its own right and the first collections of ex-libris from different thematic areas were created.
The Landesmuseum Kunst & Kultur Oldenburg is exhibiting part of its extensive ex-libris collection in the Graphic Cabinet on the 2nd floor of Oldenburg Palace.
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