Exlibris or bookplate is usually a decorative label pasted into a book to indicate its owner and any motif that relates to them. Do you know the meaning behind Tove Jansson’s exlibris?
Tove Jansson‘s attitude towards her life is perfectly illustrated on her bookplate from 1947. The small (9 x 6 cm) picture contains numerous motifs important for Tove. Can you find them all?
The intended meaning of the Latin phrase “Labora et Amare” is “Work and Love” although it is not correctly spelled. Working and loving were important for Tove and especially in this order.
In the 1960s Tove drew bookplates in the form of trees and sea. The last one is based on Tove’s initials and it is drawn by Tove’s mother Ham.
