Commedia dell'Arte Journal — V. Turati 1800s Toy Theatre Chromolithograph Rome

In the early 20th century, V. Turati produced Sheet #16 of Maschere e Personaggi della Commedia Italiana (Masks and Characters of the Italian Comedy) in Rome — illustrated by E. Grixoni and patented by the Excelsior company: twenty-six stock characters of the Commedia dell'Arte in front and back views, complete with base tabs for standing the paper actors upright, a complete cast ready to perform. The front cover showcases Arlecchino in his diamond-patterned costume, Pulcinella in white with his distinctive large nose, Colombina the clever female servant, Balanzone, and the masked Zanni; the back presents their reverse views — together a complete portrait of the tradition that gave European comedy its archetypes, from Shakespeare to Molière to Goldoni.

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Product Details

• Format: Hardcover journal with matte laminated full-wrap cover
• Pages: 150 lined pages (75 sheets) with perforations for easy removal
• Binding: Casewrap sewn binding — flexible and lay-flat
• Dimensions: 5.75 × 8 inches
• Weight: 250 g (0.55 lbs)
• Cover: Matte laminated full-wrap print; small 0.5" × 0.5" production barcode on back

Perfect For

• Theatre enthusiasts, actors, and directors celebrating Italian Renaissance improvisational performance traditions
• Costume designers and historians studying 16th-century Italian theatrical archetypes
• Toy theatre collectors honouring early 20th-century chromolithographic children's entertainment heritage
• Gift for anyone captivated by the wit, colour, and vitality of Commedia dell'Arte
• Students and researchers of the history of Italian theatre and European performance traditions
• Writers and playwrights inspired by the lazzi, the stock characters, and the improvisational genius of the Commedia tradition