Puppet - Wood

Wooden painted marionette with a musician playing the violin and wind-instrument, in a red coat France, late 19th century. Marionette of a musician wearing a miniature violin and bow, in a costume inspired by the 18th century. The expressive face with colored cheeks is framed by gray-white locks and topped with a wide black hat with turned-up edges. The dark red velvet-like coat features a row of small light buttons. It accompanies a light waistcoat, black breeches and tall light gaiters over black shoes. The wooden violin offers a carved-out body, f-shaped sound holes, a dark fingerboard and strings; the bow is displayed in front of the instrument. On the back, a wicker hood contains rolled sheets bearing small graphic signs. The accessories, the costume and the physiognomy bring together elements evoking the itinerant musician. A piece that meets collections of marionettes, miniature instruments, and performing arts. Construction combining hand-painted wooden elements and flexible textile parts; strings attached to a wooden control. The set of elements is ancient and original: marionette, costume, accessories, string and control. Dimensions of the character: about 45 cm in height, excluding strings and control, 25 cm in width and 15 cm in depth. Weight: 2 kg. Beautiful antique condition, with an authentic patina that bears witness to time and its history. The nuances of the painted wood and textiles contribute to the character of this collectible piece. The overall photographs and close-ups allow precise appreciation of its condition. The marionettes with strings belong to the tradition of the theater of animated figures. Operated from the top, they are suspended by strings gathered on a wooden control, called a control or trestle cross. The puppeteer manipulates this assembly to give the character its attitudes and movements. Used by artists and companies, but also in amateur and family theaters, they bring stories to life, comic scenes, and musical or dance numbers. The métiers figures and musicians evoke a popular universe immediately recognizable by their costumes and accessories. These objects combine sculpture, painting, textile craft, and miniature workmanship, all qualities valued in collections dedicated to old theater and toys. Lot including a marionette, its wooden control, its strings and the accessories presented with it in the original photographs. Photographic presentation: the background of the first image has been arranged with AI assistance, without modifying the marionette, its strings, or its accessories. The following six close-up views present a cleaned background. The seven original unretouched photographs follow to document the object and its condition. The background decorative accessories are not part of the lot.

Estimate:£1.69

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