Ex libris voor J. Slagter (ontwerp) c. 1935 - 1940

This bookplate design, or 'Ex libris voor J. Slagter' as it's called, was dreamt up by Leo Gestel sometime in the early 20th century. Look at those elegant lines sketched out, probably with a simple pencil, or maybe charcoal. I can imagine Gestel hunched over his desk, head in his hands, trying to capture something essential about reading, about owning books. It's all here, a kind of dreamy symbolism – the profile of a reader, perhaps Slagter himself, floating above a swan on wavy seas. It makes me think about how artists are always riffing off of each other, across time and space. Gestel probably knew the work of other symbolists, maybe even some cubists. And, of course, Picasso, who took art in a completely new direction! But here Gestel embraces a lighter touch. Gestel’s design invites us to reflect on how artworks can be deeply personal, yet speak to something universal about human experience. It’s like he’s saying, "Here, take this image, let it spark something in you."