This delightful homage to Pulcinella (or Punch as he is referred to in English) contains over one hundred extraordinary pencil illustrations, some of which are depicted in comic-strip style. Divided into several scenes, it features the oddly surreal and globally recognised character that originated in seventeenth-century comedic theatre and became a fixture in Neapolitan puppetry. Distinguished by a long nose and typically dressed in white with a black mask, Pulcinella is often depicted in various kinds of misadventures and singing about themes of love, hunger, and money. In the typical fashion of author Luigi Serafini, Pulcinellopaedia Seraphiniana is created in a unique language all its own, and is filled with fascinating and mysterious illustrations that require thorough examination and inference to decipher what the artist is intending to portray. Written by Serafini s imaginative coauthor and alter ego C. Petrulo, who represents Pulcinella himself, the book artfully presents the struggles of a rebellious antihero who must come to grips with the difficulties of everyday life.
First published in 1984 and since revised by the author, this volume is an exquisite treasure that has intrigued readers for more than thirty years. Designed as a handsome companion volume ready to take its place alongside the bestselling Codex Seraphinianus, the Pulcinellopaedia is akin to a missing chapter or coda to the Codex that no fan of Luigi Serafini s work will want to miss.