Tucci's Painted Scrolls of Tibet

Heading:
Author: Tucci, Giuseppe
Title: Tibetan Painted Scrolls
Place Published: Rome
Publisher:La Libreria Dello Stato
Date Published: 1949
Description:

3 volumes including portfolio of plates. Text volumes: xv, [1], 327, [2]; [iii]-viii, [2], 331-798, [1] pp. collotype illustrations in the text. (folio) 41.8x29.5 cm (16½x11¾"), red cloth gilt. Plate volume: 25 lettered color collotype plates + 231 monochrome "phototype" plates, neatly sewn together with string through 3 small punchholes in left margins (apparently not as issued), + title/limitation leaves. 49.5x33, loose as issued in red cloth folder gilt. No. 553 of 750 copies.

Important and handsomely produced work notable for the series of plates illustrating the 195 thangkas, illuminated manuscripts and bookcovers obtained by Tucci during his seven expeditions to Tibet between 1933 and 1947. Guiseppe Tucci (1894-1984) was an Italian Orientalist, Indologist and scholar of East Asian studies, specializing in Tibetan culture and history of Buddhism. Fluent in several European languages, Sanskrit, Bengali, Pali, Prakrit, Chinese and Tibetan, he is considered one of the founders of the field of Buddhist Studies. He was also a supporter of Italian Fascism, and he used idealized portrayals of Asian traditions to support Italian ideological campaigns. Due to the size and/or weight of this lot extra shipping and/or handling charges may apply.
Condition Report: Some shelf and extremity wear, a bit of fading to spines; very good, internally fine or nearly so.