FROM THE BOOKS OF original Latin: "EX LIBRIS"

EBERHARD

PERTHEL

This highly detailed and symbolic woodcut bookplate serves as a personal emblem for the book's owner, Eberhard Perthel. The design is a rich example of early 20th-century graphic art, combining traditional motifs of faith, knowledge, and mortality.

The composition is divided into several symbolic zones:

• The Celestial and Sacred: At the top, a seven-branched menorah a sacred lampstand used in ancient Jewish worship stands beneath a sun with a human face, surrounded by stars and a rose.
• The Owner's Mark: The central panel, bordered by a heavy rope, identifies the owner as Eberhard Perthel. To the sides, a column is entwined with a ribbon, and a mirror reflects the light of a single candle, perhaps representing self-reflection or the light of wisdom.
• The Theme of Mortality: The lower section features vanitas Latin for "vanity"; a genre of art using symbols of mortality to show the fleeting nature of life imagery. A human skull rests on stone steps next to an hourglass, which marks the constant passage of time. Beside them lie an open book, representing a life of study, and an olive branch, a symbol of peace.

This combination of icons suggests that the owner viewed his library not just as a collection of information, but as part of a deeper spiritual and philosophical journey.