Giuseppe Tucci (1894-1984) was an Italian orientalist who specialized in the study of Tibet and the history of Buddhism. Tucci spoke and read multiple languages, including Tibetan, Chinese, Japanese, Sanskrit, Bengali, and several European languages, and his travels and academic interests matched the breadth of his linguistic knowledge. However, he is best remembered for his travels in and writings about Tibet. Tucci completed eight separate expeditions in Tibet between 1928 and 1948, and was able to visit sites (such as the Samye monastery in Lhasa) which western travelers had never before been permitted to enter, and which were subsequently destroyed during the Cultural Revolution.

Tibetan Painted Scrolls was Tucci's magnum opus, the first work of consequence by a western scholar on the Tibetan painting tradition and the launching point for subsequent western scholarship in this area.

Folios, Three Volumes. In Very Good condition. Bound in original rust cloth with gilt tooling to front boards and spines. Plates housed in folio case. Bindings sunned, light plus marking to bindings, fraying and splits to cloth at corners of boards and at joints. Text block and plates lightly age toned.

CONTENTS: Vol. I. (xv, 327 pages) – Vol. II. (vii, 331-798 pages) – Vol. III. (25 color [A-V, Y-Z] and 231 monochrome phototype plates) (Title page with minor creasing at corners). SH Consignment.

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