Artwork
Ex Libris - Emma Eames
Ex Libris - Emma Eames is a print by Ernest Haskell. It dates from 1910 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
- Accession no.
- 1965.43
- Credit line
- Gift of Ernest Haskell Jr.
About this work
The name "Emma Eames" is written below, likely the owner of the book this was drawn for.
This drawing shows a lone, twisted tree growing out of a rocky hillside. The branches spread out in sharp lines, while the ground below looks rough and uneven. In the distance, faint clouds float above more hills.
The tree’s gnarled shape stands out, it looks strong despite the tough ground. The name "Emma Eames" is written below, likely the owner of the book this was drawn for.
If you like this style, check out Ernest Haskell (American, 1876–1925).
Overview
Created in 1910 by American artist Ernest Haskell, 'Ex Libris - Emma Eames' is a bookplate design featuring a stark, naturalistic landscape. The composition centers on a solitary, gnarled tree emerging from a rugged, rocky hillside. Its branches extend in sharp, angular lines against a sky populated by faint clouds and distant hills, emphasizing the tree's resilience amidst harsh terrain.
Haskell, known for his woodcut style and expressive linework, utilizes this imagery to frame the name of the book's owner. The work serves as a personal emblem for Emma Eames, a celebrated American soprano who achieved international renown in opera houses across New York, London, and Paris during the turn of the century. By pairing the enduring, twisted tree with Eames' name, the piece visually alludes to her artistic strength and longevity in the demanding world of dramatic performance.
This bookplate exemplifies Haskell's ability to merge symbolic natural forms with functional design, reflecting the Arts and Crafts influence prevalent in early 20th-century American graphic arts.
Subject & Meaning
The central motif, a lone, gnarled tree rooted in a stony slope, conveys resilience amid a harsh landscape. Its stark silhouette and the surrounding barren terrain suggest a sense of endurance and individuality, qualities that may have resonated with the celebrated soprano Emma Eames, for whom the plate was created.
Technique & Style
Executed in a graphic print medium, Haskell employs precise line work to delineate the tree’s twisted trunk and sharply angled branches. The composition balances detailed foreground texture with simplified, atmospheric background elements, reflecting the early‑20th‑century interest in combining realism with decorative abstraction in bookplate design.
History & Provenance
Created circa 1910, the plate was commissioned for the personal library of American operatic soprano Emma Eames. It entered the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it remains part of the museum’s holdings of early modern American prints, illustrating Haskell’s contribution to the ex libris tradition.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Ernest Haskell was an American artist and illustrator, internationally famous in his lifetime and remembered for his etchings, as well as engravings, pen-and-ink drawings, lithographs and watercolors.
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