Antique Female Puppet Head on Frosted Acrylic Stand, China (5275EOK) $295

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 antique female carved wood head of a beauty has delicately painted features with a smoothly painted face and animal hair braided down the back. Since there is an area without hair towards the back, she likely originally wore a hat or headdress.  A hole on top probably accommodated strings. This piece was finished with a thin lacquer coating. 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. It is mounted on a uniquely crafted hand frosted Acrylic base.

Sources

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