Antique/Vintage Female Puppet Head on Acrylic Stand, China (5275EOK)

Description

Puppet theater has always vividly reflected Chinese society and culture and educated both the literate and illiterate public using with beautifully carved and attired puppets, music, drama,, eloquent language, costumes, and adornment. It also assumed a major role by performing religious rituals and honoring major historical characters and events. Using rods, strings, gloves and a variety of different kinds of puppets, it reached its height in the Qing dynasty when it became closely associated with local opera forms. UNMA states “Chinese puppetry encompasses all the arts – including music, song, dialogue, mime, dance, storytelling, martial arts, ritual, visual design, and craft. Puppetry not only educates and entertains, but also materializes philosophy and religious viewpoints, providing viewers with psychological and mental resources.” Story plots include history, religious, and supernatural events, gods and legends, romances, and even courtroom cases and are accompanied by flutes and drums. Although it diminished significantly after the Cultural Revolution, traditional puppet theater as folk-art is still performed by thousands of private and state sponsored professional and amateur companies in rural and urban areas with Chinese and Taiwanese government support in recent decades to preserve puppets and theatrical performances.

This female carved wood puppet head represents a Dan character, the term for a young, refined, or virtuous female role in traditional Chinese opera. The facial features are hand-painted, with stylized, arched black eyebrows, almond-shaped eyes with distinct pupils, and bright red lips. It is an authentic Chinese string puppet (marionette) or rod puppet head, dating to the early-to-mid 20th century (Republic of China to early People’s Republic period). 19th-century puppets with completely carved wooden headdresses, this piece has real human hair or fine animal fiber stitched into a fabric mesh and glued to the scalp. It is tied back into a long queue or bun. The black and red pigments are relatively modern and bright. The cracking and flaking on the cheek and chin are authentic signs of performance wear,The head itself is a substantial size for a theatrical puppet.

AsAI states, “these puppets are collected as vibrant examples of regional folk craftsmanship and performance history.”

It is in very good condition with expected surface losses and a ding on the left side of the face consistent with age and use. Mounted on a frosted Acrylic base.

Sources

UNMA (Union Internationale de la Marionette), World Encyclopedia of Puppetry Arts,