CHARACTERS OF EUROPEAN LITERATURE IN THE EX-LIBRIS MIRROR

Abstract

Ex-libris is an important component of book culture, a sincere confession of a book lover in his devoted love of books. The figurative and artistic essence of the Ukrainian book mark attracts with its versatility. Given that the book plate is a trademark of the book, the most favorite element of the composition is often it, because it best fits the functional purpose of the book plate. An important stimulus for artists and owners of book plates were anniversaries, which drew their attention to the literary process not only in Ukraine but also in European countries. Hence, a significant number of ex-libris was represented by the achievements not only of the luminaries of the Ukrainian people, but also of the geniuses of mankind, writers and their literary heroes. A separate group is formed by numerous book signs dedicated to the most respected Taras Shevchenko, Mykola Gogol, Ivan Franko, Lesya Ukrayinka. Anniversaries, which were especially widely celebrated in the second half of the 20^th century, contributed to the appearance of book plates dedicated to famous Ukrainian writers and poets. Among them are the 200^th anniversary of Ivan Kotlyarevsky (1969), Hryhoriy Kvitka-Osnovyanenko (1978), the 150^th anniversary of Mark Vovchok (1984), "Mermaids of the Dniester" (1987), the 800^th anniversary of “Words about Igor's Regiment” (1988), the 150^th anniversary of Vasyl Stefanyk (2021), etc.

            A tourist trip to European countries was crucial for his unsurpassed illustrations and book plates for the work of the artist Georgy Malakov.

The “Divine Comedy’ by the Florentine Dante Alighieri (1265-1321), the Decameron by Giovanni Boccaccio (1313-1375), the hero of Medieval German and Dutch folklore Thiel Uhlenspiegel by Charles de Coster (1827-1879), and the masters of satire novels Cervantes (1547-1616) and Rabelais (circa 1494-1553) became objects of creativite worrj of Ukrainian ex-librisists. The tragedy “Hamlet”, written by Shakespeare (1564-1616) in 1601 and published in 1603, became especially popular among his works. The exclamation “Poor Yorik!” became well-known.

Among the favorite characters and heroes of the French writer and pilot Antoine de Saint-Exupery (1900-1944). “Little Prince” became especially popular thanks to the Russian collector Nikolai Yatsenko, who became a record holder in the number of ex-libris created.