top nav_bar
To Home
Unique Puppet Art

Punch


Construction

HISTORICAL PUNCH AND JUDY PUPPETS

The history of Punch, or Pulcinella as he was called, dates back to the 1600 century in Italy.

Punch may have inherited his hump and his hooked nose from a Roman clown. Comedian, Savio Fiorillo ( whose work dates to about 1600), in the commedia dellí arte.

Pulcinella was a braggart and a coward both in the live and puppet theaters, and of course, the type traces back to the first days of the Atellan farces. Before long Punch crossed the Alps into France with troupes of puppet players.
By 1630, he was performing in Paris, where he made quite a reputation for himself.

The first reference to him in England is dated May 9, 1662, and noted, appropriately enough, by that incurable diarist Samuel Pepys. On that date he saw an Italian puppet play at an alehouse in Covent Garden and found it ì very pretty, the best I ever saw.î

The next thirty-five or forty years, however, were a time of great changes in Punchís development. The style of the Italian shows was quickly adopted by the English, who made it their own.

Judy, seem to have appeared in Punchís life some time after 1688, and by 1700, or perhaps a bit later, Punch was an established comic character of such popularity that few shows could succeed without a major part of him. Thus was the beginning of Punch and Judy.

We have designed and created these beautifully handcrafted hand puppets of Punch and Judy, using imported tapestries with a design that fits the period and sculptures that depict the characters.


puppet art | masks | sculptures | animatronics | specialty | ordering | home | bio


Construction
The Punch and Judy puppet heads are first sculpted in Roma clay then molded and cast in a wood dough with a fiber backing for strength. They are sanded smooth, finished and painted in acrylics.

Hands and feet are carved out of a hard wood then finished, sealed and painted.

Eyes and jaw movements are placed into position and pinned. Movements occur when a leaver is pulled, or just by jousting the puppet.

Costumes are hand and machined sewed by professional theatrical historian costumers.

All tapestry fabrics are carefully selected for their texture and design. The designs and colors change with availability but we will do our best to accommodate your desires.

ALLOW THREE TO FIVE WEEKS FOR ALL DELIVERIES.
REMEMBER, EACH PIECE IS HANDCRAFTED FOR YOU.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CHECK OUT OUR ORDER PAGE!



puppet art | masks | sculptures | animatronics | specialty | ordering | home | bio