Ex Libris by Pere Giné — Man in blue — 20th Century — Watercolor and ink on paper

A young man dressed in blue, a green branch, and an open book: a composition where portraiture meets the Catalan tradition of artistic bookplates.

This unique work on paper depicts a young man with wavy hair and a serene gaze, wrapped in ample blue clothing. The figure delicately holds a small branch of green leaves, while, in the foreground, an open book introduces the true theme of the composition: the creation of a personal library mark.

On the pages of the book appear the words "Ex Libris," "Ipse Fecit," "Pere Giné," and "Catalonia." The Latin expression ipse fecit, meaning "he made it himself," is a particularly interesting detail, as it is traditionally used on bookplates created by their own owners. This inscription suggests that the work may have been conceived as a personal design by Pere Giné, although its authorship could not be confirmed through external documentation.

The composition establishes a delicate balance between drawing and color. The dark outline defines the face, hands, and the folds of the clothing, while blue brushstrokes, applied with varying intensity, provide movement and luminosity. The warm tones of the hair, the green of the branch, and the small reddish accents on the face complete a restrained yet expressive palette.

The treatment of the figure combines idealized stylization with spontaneous execution. Its language shows affinities with certain trends of 20th-century Catalan figurative illustration, although there is insufficient evidence to formally ascribe it to Noucentisme.

The bookplate and the culture of the book in Catalonia

The bookplate, originally conceived to identify the owner of a book, acquired a unique artistic dimension in Catalonia during the first decades of the 20th century.

Artists such as Alexandre de Riquer, Josep Triadó, and Joaquim Renart helped transform these small ownership marks into independent compositions, where drawing, allegory, and references to the owner’s personality held a prominent place.

The present work participates in this tradition by placing the book at the center of its meaning. The young man holds a botanical branch while contemplating the space outside the composition, in an image that can be interpreted as an evocation of reading, contemplation, and cultural identity.

Especially revealing are the brushstrokes of different colors preserved in the lower margin of the paper. Their arrangement, separate from the main scene, is consistent with pigment tests performed during the work. This detail allows us to consider the possibility that we are looking at a preparatory study for a bookplate rather than a print intended directly for use in a book.

The figure of Pere Giné, whose name appears expressly incorporated into the composition, remains to be biographically identified. Currently available information does not confirm the life dates or a specific artistic career that has occasionally been attributed to him.

Technical Sheet

• Authorship: Pere Giné (attribution proposed by the inscription "Ipse fecit"; unauthenticated).

• Title / Theme: Man in Blue. Design for a Pere Giné bookplate.

• Chronology: Probably 20th century. No date identified.

• Technique and support: Watercolor and ink drawing or black graphic medium on paper. Possible presence of opaque color.

• Dimensions: 17.5 × 28.5 cm.

• Signature and inscriptions: Small rubric in the lower left margin, awaiting identification. The book depicted bears the inscriptions "Ex Libris," "Ipse Fecit," "Pere Giné," and "Catalonia."

• Particularities: Preserves several chromatic test brushstrokes in the lower margin, possibly corresponding to color tests.

• Conservation status: Good general appearance according to photographs, with luminous colors and a seemingly intact support. No major tears are observed. Pending physical inspection and examination of the reverse.

Workshop Note

The most interesting aspect of this piece is found not only in the portrait, but in the small book resting beside the figure.

The inscription "Ipse fecit" makes the composition something more personal than a conventional illustration: it suggests a person's desire to represent their own identity through books.

The test brushstrokes preserved at the bottom of the sheet add another dimension to its reading. They allow us to imagine the choice of colors and the adjustments to the drawing, as if the creative process had been left deliberately visible.

A work that brings together two complementary interests: figurative drawing and the tradition of the bookplate as an artistic expression of book culture.