Ex-Libris for Samuel D. Lockshin 1954

This is an Ex-Libris, or bookplate, made by Leonard Baskin for Samuel D. Lockshin, and it's made of paper, with an image printed on it. The process here is key: Baskin was a master printmaker, and this work exemplifies the graphic power of the medium. Look closely, and you can see the slight variations in the red ink, where the block has been pressed onto the page. Printmaking is so interesting because it allows for multiples, bringing art into the world in greater numbers. It's a democratic medium in a way that unique paintings or sculptures are not. While we don't know exactly how this image was used by Lockshin, we can imagine it pasted inside the cover of his books, announcing his ownership. In that context, the image of the lion takes on a heraldic quality, a symbol of Lockshin's personal library. So, next time you encounter a print, remember that its meaning is not just in the image, but also in the way it was made and how it circulates.