Ex Libris C. Patel c. 19th century

This is an image titled *Ex Libris C. Patel*, made by an anonymous artist, its date is unknown. The print depicts a seated, nude figure. They appear to be wearing a bizarre hood-like form and are holding a scroll. The identity of C. Patel remains a mystery, yet the image acts as a bookplate, a kind of logo signifying ownership. Bookplates are a dying art, once popular among upper classes who might commission individualized prints to declare and celebrate their bibliophilia. What are we to make of this strange figure associated with Patel’s collection? The figure has monstrous qualities. Are they, perhaps, a representation of the dangers of knowledge, or perhaps a comment on the exoticization of non-Western subjects? The anonymity of the artist only deepens these questions. What do you think?