Book plates by Bruno Schulz as “booksigns” with concealed erotic undertones

Abstract

The present article discusses the book plates designed by Bruno Schulz which the author of Sklepy cynamonowe [The Street of Crocodiles] created for his friends and acquaintances throughout his life. The book plates mainly feature erotic images that relate to specifically created topics and, quite frequently, are of somewhat murky and morally questionable provenance, since they clearly relate to masochistic threads, demonic women and their unbridled sensual indulgence. On a side note, the article also discusses other minor visual elements such as sketches, designs, blueprints, donation certificates, invitations, i.e. the so-called ephemera. These available snippets of ephemera become even more important as they allow us to explain the origins of the book plates under investigation. The underlying goal of the article, however, is to show that libraries and virtual space in general are, as it has been proved in time again and again, exactly the right place and areas of modern archival practice that allow us to catalogue, process and preserve these materials, thus make them ready for revival for future generations.