The Patua Pinocchio

Della Chiesa’s excellent 1925 translation of Collodi’s 1883 classic is judiciously trimmed to about half its original length. While excising authorial asides, extensive dialogue, and such other elaborations as may try the patience of modern readers, editor V. Geetha retains almost every incident for a well-paced version of the unruly marionette’s adventures. This handsome Indian edition features the traditional art of a Patua scroll painter in Bengal. As Geetha explains in a note, Chitrakar -- intrigued by Pinocchio’s resemblance to Krishna -- “renders Pinocchio as a lovable yet godly trickster figure from Hindu lore -- a naughty but essentially beatific child who looks composed and serene at all times.” The contrast, for example, to Attilio Mussino’s art for the 1925 edition is remarkable: where Mussino’s skillfully characterized figures are marvelously animated, Chitrakar’s are stylized and formally posed in compositions made eloquent by her energetic slashes of black line and rich palette of such hues as gold, chocolate, moss green, and tangerine. The handsome format features an assertive yet elegant font that’s occasionally manipulated for playful effect; chapter headings please with their lovely, rather delicate typography. Altogether, a curious cross-cultural matching of art and iconic tale, one whose text makes an effective introduction while its illustrations lend themselves to fruitful comparison with other editions. joanna rudge long

[=Edited by]Della Chiesa's excellent 1925 translation of Collodi's 1883 classic is trimmed to about half its original length for a well-paced version of the unruly marionette's adventures. This handsome Indian edition features traditional Patua scroll paintings; stylized compositions are made eloquent by energetic slashes of black line and a rich palette. A curious cross-cultural matching of art and iconic tale.