Bookplate: Ruthven Deane
1901
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1901
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
You see a small, neat drawing of a bookplate—a label for the inside cover of a book—with the name "Ruthven Deane" in elegant script. This tiny work was made in 1901, likely by an amateur or a jobbing artist. Bookplates were common then, a way to mark ownership, but most were mass-produced. This one feels personal, almost handmade. The artist’s name is lost to time, but the care in the lettering suggests someone took pride in it. To see more quiet, everyday art like this, visit The Cleveland Museum of Art.
