Alexandre De Riquer

ALEXANDRE DE RIQUER I INGLADA (Calaf, Barcelona, 1856–Palma de Mallorca, 1920).
“Proof print of Emilio de Riquer’s bookplate,” 1907.
Photogravure on paper.
Signed and dated on the plate.
Shows signs of oxidation and has some damage along the edges.
Measurements: 33 × 23.5 cm.

This proof print belongs to one of the most significant aspects of Alexandre de Riquer’s body of work: the design of ex libris, a discipline he played a decisive role in introducing and revitalizing in Catalonia. The circular composition brings together two female figures associated with the arts, rendered through stylized drawing, broad dark masses, and floral ornamentation with Modernist roots.

The precision of the lines and the integration of image and typography reflect the unified conception of the graphic arts championed by Riquer under the influence of Pre-Raphaelite art and the Arts and Crafts movement. Its status as a proof, printed with wide margins, allows one to appreciate the design prior to its application as a bookplate. In 1903, Riquer published the volume *Ex-Libris Riquer*, which gained international recognition, and he is considered one of the leading figures of Catalan Symbolism and graphic Modernism. His work is preserved, among other institutions, at the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya.