Flying Raven (ex libris)
1875
Hovering dramatically above the Latin phrase 'ex libris,' this bold black silhouette of a raven was created by the legendary French painter Édouard Manet in 1875. Rather than designing a traditional, stuffy bookplate, Manet gave us a striking, graphic bird with its wings fully spread and talons reaching down, perfectly capturing his rebellious artistic spirit. It is a fantastic example of how even a simple book label can become a piece of high art when a master of the Impressionist movement gets their hands on it, proving that great design transcends the canvas.