Mario Laboccetta – Illustrations for Tales of Hoffmann 1932

The Tales of Hoffmann (French: Les contes d’Hoffmann) is an opéra fantastique by Jacques Offenbach. The French libretto was written by Jules Barbier, based on three short stories by E. T. A. Hoffmann, who is the protagonist of the story. It was Offenbach’s final work; he died in October 1880, four months before the premiere.

Here is one of the rare illustrated Tales of Hoffmann. The illustrations was done by Mario Laboccetta, Italian designer, futurist artist-painter. He gained a bit of fame in Paris for his illustrations in fashion magazines during the “Crazy Years” (20s). Les Contes d’Hoffmann, illustrated by Mario Laboccetta, was first published in 1932 by L’Édition d’Art Henri Piazza, Paris.

The illustrations here came from the first English edition, published in 1932 by George Harrap, London, published in the same year as the first.

Art Gallery: Mario Laboccetta – Tales of Hoffmann 1932