When an Artist works for Scientists: On Beulah Mitchell Clute and Her Bookplates for Scientists of the University of California at Berkeley

Beulah Mitchell Clute (1873-1958) was a talented artist who specialized in the design of bookplates. She was well known in her time, from her days as an art student, and today is still recognized as a very talented designer. Among her most famous creations are 3 bookplates for scientists of the faculty of the University of California in the early 1900's. Here the story of Beulah Clute will be told, the range of her work demonstrated, and her bookplates for three very successful University of California scientists will be shown in the context of her many bookplates for others. Clute's bookplates were usually decorative and mainly served to show ownership. In contrast, the bookplates for the scientists were dominated by depictions of items and scenes related to their professional careers. The bookplates of the scientists did not simply show ownership. They prominently showcased their achievements and lives. The hypothesis that the scientists, each of whom who rose to chair their respective departments, indulged their vanities with their bookplates, is put forward, in line with observations that high ego personalities are successful in the sciences.