Ex-Libris Coloriage

Hugo Grygkar is the author of classic carrés including the celebrated Brides de gala. His design for Ex-Libris dates from 1946, revisited here with a new colour treatment. Named for the distinctive designs chosen by bibliophiles for their personal bookplates, the carré celebrates a drawing by Alfred de Dreux (1810-1860), chosen as a bookplate by Emile-Maurice Hermès in 1923, and still in the Hermès collection today: Duc carriage with horse attached, groom standing by. The simplified forms of the duc (a small city carriage) and groom are placed over the initials EMH. To either side, a caduceus (the symbol of the Greek god Hermes and his Roman counterpart Mercury) symbolises peace and commerce. Over the years, the drawing became an emblem in its own right. Surrounding the medallion, four elegant, horse-drawn carriages are inspired by original carriage-makers’ drawings from the early 19th century, in the collection of Émile Hermès.