Puppet Show Collection
Step right up and enter the whimsical world of puppetry. From Punch and Judy to Le Chat Noir, this captivating art form has been entertaining audiences for centuries
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Step right up and enter the whimsical world of puppetry. From Punch and Judy to Le Chat Noir, this captivating art form has been entertaining audiences for centuries. Let's start with a glimpse into history. In 1829, Benjamin Robert Haydon immortalized the iconic Punch or May Day puppet show in his artwork. Fast forward to the early 20th century, where we find ourselves enchanted by vintage photographs like "Punch and Judy MCF01_02_0042" and "Punch and Judy JLP01_08_071222. " These images transport us back to a time when children gathered around street corners, eagerly awaiting the antics of these beloved characters. But puppet shows weren't limited to Europe alone; they spanned across continents. Take a look at "The Dressing Room of a Puppet Theater, " created by Okumura Masanobu in 1705/06. This intricate woodblock print gives us a peek behind the scenes, revealing the meticulous preparations that went into each performance. Speaking of performers, let's not forget about the talented puppeteers themselves. Okumura Toshinobu's c. 1730 depiction showcases their skillful manipulation of marionettes on stage, while Torii Kiyonobu I captures two actors holding puppets in his masterpiece from c. 1714. As we delve deeper into Japanese culture, Ishikawa Toyonobu takes center stage with his works from c. 1750 and c. 1740s respectively: "The Hobby Horse Dance (harugoma odori)" and "The Actor Onoe Kikugoro I holding a puppet of the Actor Sanogawa Ichimatsu I. " These prints showcase traditional dances intertwined with mesmerizing puppetry performances. To round off our journey through time, Vera Van Voris' backdrop for a puppet show transports us to circa 1937 – an era where the magic of puppetry continued to captivate audiences.