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Giuseppe Tucci, Tibetan Painted Scrolls, Rome: La Libreria dello Stato, 1949, 3 Volumes

Text Volume I: xv, [1], 327, [2] including with intertextual illustrations.
Text Volume II: [iii]-viii, [2], 331-798, [1] pp. collotype intertextual illustrations
16.25 x 11.75 in (41.8 x 29.5 cm) (each)
Plate Volume: 25 lettered colour collotype plates + 231 monochrome "phototype" plates, neatly sewn together with string through 3 small punch holes in left margins (apparently not as issued), + title/limitation leaves; matching publisher’s folding case
19.5 x 13.25 in (49.5 x 33 cm)

Publisher’s full red cloth, boards double ruled in gilt, front covers with gilt central title motif, spines tooled and lettered in gilt (each)

This is a limited-edition copy no. 192 of 750 copies of this scarce and beautiful monograph of Tibetan art.

This monumental publication is a cornerstone in the study of Tibetan art and Buddhist iconography. An important and beautifully executed work featuring a series of engravings depicting 195 thangkas, illuminated manuscripts, and book covers acquired by Tucci during his seven expeditions to Tibet between 1933 and 1947. It is one of the first comprehensive Western examinations of Tibetan thangka painting.

Tucci's in-depth commentary accompanies the 25 lettered colour collotype plates and 231 monochrome "phototype" plates, exploring the historical, cultural, and religious contexts of these artworks. The work is noted for its meticulous scholarship and the stunning quality of its reproductions, made possible through advanced printing techniques of the time. Limited to 750 copies, the set was printed on fine Umbrian paper, making it not only an academic treasure but also a collector’s item. This publication remains an essential reference for scholars and enthusiasts of Tibetan art and Buddhist studies.

Guiseppe Tucci (1894-1984)
Guiseppe Tucci was an Italian Orientalist, Indologist, and scholar of East Asian studies who specialised in the history of Buddhism and Tibetan culture. His compendium of Tibetan painting, Tibetan Painted Scrolls, was initially published in 1949 and is considered the seminal work on Tibetan Buddhist painting.

He is regarded as one of the creators of the discipline of Buddhist Studies, and he was proficient in a variety of European languages, as well as Sanskrit, Bengali, Pali, Prakrit, Chinese, and Tibetan. In addition, he advocated for Italian fascism and employed idealised depictions of Asian traditions to further Italian ideological campaigns.