Large Antique Articulated Burmese Horse Puppet

Burmese C.1900

So this large puppet or marionette had a fully articulated wooden structure covered in gesso and so pretty much everything will move as the puppet is being operated, its tacked with its original silks and saddlery and even its bells are original.

This wooden horse puppet likely starred in a puppet show as the mount of character from a Buddhist folktale or legend. Puppet plays were performed in Burma as early as the 1400s and reached the height of prestige and popularity during the 19th century. Using marionette puppets controlled by strings, master puppeteers created the illusion of movement and gesture to the delight of the enchanted audiences.

Manipulating by the strings that are attached to the horse's articulated legs, neck, and head, a puppeteer could make this horse prance and cavort as if it had a life of its own. This extraordinary puppet, discovered by Stag and Squire continues to enthrall as a sculptural work of art.

We love the realism of its character down to its real horsehair tail and mane, the raw beauty of its wooden construction and faded country house charm.

We have demonstrated the horse hanging (as it would be in a performance) but there is also a substantial steel stand should you wish to display it a different way.

We prefer it hanging and we absolutely love it - an interiors dream!

Dimensions: 55” (140 cm) tall (feet to the top of the control brace) x 47” (120cm) long x 13”(33cm) deep

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