Theatrical life in Vienna: over 200 hand-coloured plates showing theatre costumes, rebuses and caricatures

Bäuerle, Adolf (ed.). Wiener allgemeine Theaterzeitung. Originalblatt für Kunst, Literatur, Musik, Mode, und geselliges Leben. 34. (und) 35. Jahrgang.

€ 12,500.00

Large collection of lively hand-coloured plates, published as supplements to the printed text of the popular Austrian periodical Wiener Theaterzeitung, one of Europe's leading magazines for theatre, music, literatur, fashion and pastimes. The collection, depicting costumes, theatre scenes, famous actors, (political) caricatures, curiosities and rebuses, mainly includes plates from issues published from 1841-42 but also incorporates a few plates dated 1847, 1848 and 1849. Includes a plate of General Thom Thumb (Charles Sherwood Stratton, 1838-83), who served at the court of Queen Victoria as well as P. T. Barnum's circus.

The first issue of this magazine, which changed its name 20 times in four years, appeared on 1 July 1806, but it was not until 1818 that the supplements with the plates were added. The last issue of the magazine was published in 1860. The founder, Adolf Bäuerle (1786-1859), was the author of more than 70 plays and several novels. In 1813 he wrote his first play, "Kinder und Narren reden die Wahrheit", for Vienna's Theater in der Leopoldstadt, where his plays would be performed for the next 30 years. He wrote three or four plays a year until 1827; from then until 1848 he restricted himself mainly to journalism.

One plate with repaired tear, some browning and staining; two duplicates. A fine collection of plates from an important magazine of the Viennese "Vormärz".