Cover Image Property of Stainer & Bell
This image property of Stainer & Bell
TABLE OF CONTENTS

  • Acknowledgments and Bibliography
  • Commedia dell'Arte
  • Making the Sculptures
    • Materials and Equipment
    • Order and Method
  • The Figures
    • Molière
    • Arlequin
    • Brighella
    • Pantalone
    • Le Médecin
    • La Bien-Aimée
    • L'Amant
    • Columbine
    • Le Capitaine
    • Giangurgolo
    • Scaramouche
    • Pulcinella
    • Polichinelle
    • Crispin
    • Tartaglia
    • Pierrot
    • Mezzetino
    • Trivellino
    • Louis XIV

Title: COMMEDIA DELL'ARTE at the COURT of Louis XIV: a soft sculpture Representation
Author: Peter A. Bucknell
Publication Date: HC:1980
Publisher: Stainer & Bell Ltd., London
Page Count: 121
Book Dimensions(ht. x w.): 11 1/4" x 8 1/2"
ISBN: 0852495757

PATTERN RATING:Star Rating. Patterns are typically 50% reduced, but could be used for small figures as is. There is a great full page color photo of each figure right before instructions and the pattern are given. The patterns have minimal markings - the name of the part is on the piece and that's about it. For as much detail as went into styling the faces and clothes, I was mildly disappointed in the mitten hands - they didn't go with the rest of the elegant figures.

INSTRUCTION RATING:Star Rating. The instructions aren't broken down at all, and there is no illustration to help out. What makes this worse - Mr. Bucknell doesn't come to this as a doller, so puzzling out how he means you to go about putting his wonderful creations together could have really used some visual help!

SUMMARY- This book left me awestruck. Yes, I know I only gave the patterns an average rating and the instructions a below average rating, but those are technical scores and don't count in the summary. I loved this book. I wish I'd found one with a dust jacket on it, because I love this book enough to buy it again just for that. The designer took the time to research the characters he created soft sculpture figures for and I feel caught the acting troupe' characters perfectly. They have a lot of lavish detail that is diminished only by the lack of fingered hands. While this book is nothing like the average how-to book, it scores heavily in originality and is worth the effort to get past its short-comings.