Limited to 310 copies.
BEAUMONT, Cyril W. ~ The Birth, Life and Death of Scaramouch. By Angelo Constantini. Translated by Cyril W. Beaumont. With dedicatory poems and associated new-letters rendered into English verse by Edmund Blunden.
Published by C. W. Beaumont at the sign of the Harlequin’s Bat, London: 1924
8vo., green and red patterned paste-paper boards over vellum spine, lettered in gilt with decorative devices; decorative label printed in black to upper board; outer edges untrimmed; frontis illustration of Scaramouch; title in red and black with decorative border and publisher’s device; with four illustrations throughout; head and tail pieces; and other decorative devices; a very good to near-fine copy, tightly bound with just some darkening to outer edges of text block and boards; slightly bumped at corners with boards showing beneath. The book is protected in a removable mylar cover. Limited edition, one of just 310 copies of which this no. 4, signed by the translators. The book was originally published in Paris in 1695. Here, the cover art has been designed by Randolph Schwabe. A detailed and comprehensive history of the character of Scaramouch, a character developed by the commedia dell'arte in Paris, and first popularised in the 17th century by Tiberio Fiorillo. Legend has it that when the two-year-old Dauphin (future Louis XIV) was distressed one night as a child Fiorilli, as Scaramouche, comforted and entertained him through grimaces and general tomfoolery. Consequently, Fiorilli was ordered to visit court to amuse the future King, and the character of Scaramouche henceforth became a standard role in theatre at the time. Constantini (d. 1729) was one of the pillars of the commmedia dell'arte from 1682 until 1697, when Louis XIV closed it down. He was the author of Vie de Scaramouche, 1692, and had a devoted following for his singing and expressive acting.
BINDING: Hardcover
CONDITION: Very Good
£395