Chinese Shadow Puppet Head, Traditional Lantern Shadow Theatre, Ancient China. Asia

Woman’s head with the floral headdress of the Chinese shadow theatre in dyed leather. 
Mounted on a Plexiglass base for presentation purposes, the object is fixed by transparent threads respecting its integrity. 
This finely crafted piece from the early 20th century, originally from northern China, is representative of this tradition.


Known as the Lantern Shadow Theatre, this theatre in Asia has equivalences in India, the Indonesian Archipelago, Thailand and Malaysia and is animated by a troupe of six to seven people providing manipulation, voice, sound and music. Northern China is an area of choice for this popular art. Of millenary origin, it adapted to times, especially in the peasant world.


Height : 2.36 inches

The serrated appearance of piying shadows differs from region to region.
The leather comes from the skin of an ox, mule, horse, donkey or buffalo depending on the province.
Chiselling may be hollow or raised.
As in Thailand and unlike the Indonesian Wayang Kulit, the Chinese shadows are translucent and colorful, sometimes vivid colors.
The joints are provided by cotton thread, the rods made of bamboo-wrapped wire. Traditionally, the screen is made of white canvas.

Over the years, his repertoire has touched Buddhism, Taoism, superstition where ghosts, monsters, fairies and geniuses rub shoulders. It is aimed at children and adults alike.
As in the Malaysian Wayang Kulit, we find the characters, animals and many accessories (flower pots, houses, trees, decorative furniture, etc.)

Important detail, the heads are removable which means that an articulated body can be used to express various characters.