Paul Eudl - Les ombres chinoises de mon père - 1885

My Father's Chinese Shadows by Paul Eudl

My Father's Shadow Puppets, published by Paul Eudel in 1885, is a work dedicated to the art of shadow theater as practiced at the end of the 19th century. The book gathers sixteen sketches designed to be performed with cut-out silhouettes, lighting, and musical accompaniment, thus offering a complete set for recreating a domestic or salon show. Eudel is interested in both the artistic dimension and the popular charm of this expressive form, which was then flourishing. The work features numerous preparatory illustrations, intended to guide amateurs in making figures and staging. Beyond its playful aspect, it testifies to a time when the emerging moving image coexisted with artisanal and poetic practices. Today, the book is often regarded as a valuable patrimonial document, revealing the visual creativity and narrative ingenuity that animated these shadow performances.

Complete with the 'Shadow Puppet Music,' non-paginated (6 pp.), placed at the end.

1885, 22 x 30 cm, 316 pages. Half garnet leather binding, spine with four false bands, gilt title and author. Binding rubbed, with some stains, upper part of the first cover slightly scuffed, corners rounded. Generally peripheral foxing, more marked on the first and last pages. No scribbles or coloring.