| dc.description.abstract | National Museum of Taiwan Literature (NMTL) harbors the largest collection so far in Taiwan of more than 8000 bookplates (or ex-libris), of which more than 80% come from the donation of Japanese collector Sasaki Yasuyuki (1942-2021).
As a piece of paper embossed on the inside of a book cover to mark the owner of a book, bookplate is generally made using replicable printing techniques, as such it can also be regarded as a kind of small print. Having always a small audience, low circulation, bookplates are closely connected to books. They rarely become object of independent collection, even less of purposely setting up special collection institutions. Established in 2007, NMTL has its own institutional mission. Apparently, if not the connection between bookplate and book, few seems justify this collection for NMTL. However, a series of historical opportunities have made NMTL the leading institution and showcase of domestic bookplates collection.
On the other hand, Sasaki Yasuyuki’s bookplates, which constitute the core of the NMTL’s bookplates collection, are the result of 30 years of collection activities. It has also been claimed by the donor to be representative of the history of modern Japanese bookplates. The main research objective of this thesis is set on the study of this collection. In my research, these bookplates are considered not only as works of art, but also as deposits of social relationships. Through literature discussion and formal comparison, this research will try to demonstrate the contextual factors that played a role in the formation of this collection, and the changes in classification order brought about by institutional collection, so as to establish a basis for further research in the future. | en_US |