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ANTIQUARIAN, RARE & COLLECTABLE BOOKS & SOUTH EAST ASIAN ANTIQUES. ALL BOOKS TARIFF FREE TO USA.
ANTIQUARIAN, RARE & COLLECTABLE BOOKS & SOUTH EAST ASIAN ANTIQUES. ALL BOOKS TARIFF FREE TO USA.
The Chinese Theatre, by Chu-Chia-Chien, John Lane The Bodley Head, 1922

The Chinese Theatre, by Chu-Chia-Chien, John Lane The Bodley Head, 1922

LAN10144
£100.00 - £100.00
£100.00
£100.00 - £100.00
£100.00

A striking early twentieth-century study of traditional Chinese theatre, combining concise descriptive text with a rich visual programme. Written by Chu-Chia-Chien and translated from the French, the work reflects Western interest in Chinese performance culture during the period, presenting aspects of staging, costume and character through both commentary and illustration. The volume is particularly notable for the contribution of Alexandre Jacovleff, whose distinctive drawings and paintings capture the theatrical forms with clarity and elegance.

Produced in folio format by The Bodley Head, the book places strong emphasis on its visual content, with a series of colour plates and monochrome illustrations that form a substantial part of its appeal. As such, it occupies a place both as a work on theatre and as an illustrated art book, representative of early twentieth-century European engagement with Asian subjects.

The Chinese Theatre, by Chu-Chia-Chien. Translated from the French by James A. Graham. With Illustrations from Paintings, Sketches and Crayon Drawings by Alexandre Jacovleff.

Published by John Lane The Bodley Head, London, 1922. First edition. Now rather scarce.

A very good hardback of folio size, with black paper over boards, gilt titles and decoration and a printed theatrical figure in the centre of the front. Spine has been repaired with sympathetic black cloth tape, making for a soundly bound copy. Boards with some scuffing and bumping to corners. Endpapers feature an attractive gold printed design on black paper, with some minor marks to margins.

Text is printed on a high quality laid paper with rough cut vertical edges. With some light scattered spotting and discreet staining to top margins of the first few pages. Attractively illustrated throughout in both black and white, and colour. The colour plates are tipped-in with tissue guards.

Text in English.

36pp + 7 colour Plates + 14 Black and white pages of plates + 6 Black and white pages of "Theatrical Engravings". All collated with contents and all as called for.

Dimensions: approx 342mm high x 265mm wide x 12mm deep.

Weight: approximately 734g (unpacked).