Commedia dell'Arte Hardcover Journal — Illustrated Character Sketchbook

In 1860, when the great age of Commedia dell'Arte had long passed from the European stage, Maurice Sand published Masques et bouffons (comédie italienne) — the definitive visual record of its characters. Son of George Sand, illustrator, and lifelong devotee of puppet theatre, he spent years researching the masks, costumes, and personalities of a tradition that had shaped European comedy for three centuries. This journal features a mosaic of thirty-two of his characters across the front and back covers, drawn with the precision of a scholar and the warmth of an artist who genuinely loved his subjects.

The front cover presents sixteen characters: La Comédie, Arlechino, Trivelin, Pulcinella, Pulcinelo, Polliciniella, Polichinelle, Meo-Patacca, La Ballerina, Spavento, Spezzafer, Giangurgolo, Colombine, Arlequine, Coraline, and Pagliaccio. The back continues with Lélio, Leandre, Pantalon, Baloardo, Biscegliese, Cassandre, La Cantatrice, Stenterello, Menego, Gianduja, Fiorinetta, Isabella, Silvia, Brighella, Beltrame, and Scapino — from the acrobatic servants to the pompous old men, from the elegant lovers to the regional clowns, each one a distinct personality, each one a thread in the larger fabric of European theatrical history. Illustrated by Maurice Sand (1823–1889) for Masques et bouffons (Paris, 1860), in collaboration with engraver Alexandre Manceau (1817–1865).

Product Details:

• Format: Hardcover, matte laminated full-wrap
• Pages: 150 perforated ruled pages
• Binding: Casewrap sewn, lay-flat
• Dimensions: 5.75 × 8"
• Weight: approx. 400 g
• Cover: Matte laminated full-wrap print

Perfect For:

• Lovers of Italian theatre and Commedia dell'Arte history
• Playwrights, screenwriters, and character illustrators
• Costume designers and theatre students
• Admirers of 19th-century illustration and Maurice Sand's work
• Thoughtful gift for theatre lovers, Francophiles, and Renaissance enthusiasts
• Anyone captivated by the masked archetypes of European comedy

Read the story of Maurice Sand, the characters of Commedia dell'Arte, and the making of Masques et bouffons on our blog: Maurice Sand and the Characters of Commedia dell'Arte.