Puppet
MakerMade by
Phyllis Fenn Cunningham
(American, 1903 - 2003)
Date1950-1979
MediumPapier-mâché, synthetic, cotton, watercolor, paper, metal, graphite
DimensionsPrimary Dimensions (height x width x depth): 23 1/2 x 15 1/2 x 5in. (59.7 x 39.4 x 12.7cm)
ClassificationsEquipment
Credit LineGift of Stanhope F. Cunningham
Object number2013.182.5a-c
Description(a) Puppet - Hand puppet of an older Japanese man named "The Samurai” composed of a papier-mâché head with a cloth body and painted paper hands. The head is painted (probably using watercolor) pink with black brows, brown eyes, and black facial lines. He is bald except for wisps of painted gray hair. He wears a long robe in a red, blue, green, and gold geometrically-patterned cotton fabric with a bright blue collar. Over the robe he wears a brown, tan, and gold cotton vest secured with a bright blue sash tied around the waist with a bow at the back. Probably used with the "Toshi" puppet (2013.182.4) and "Setsu" puppet (2013.182.6) in play, "The Legend of the Cherry-Tree," written at the request of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, where it was performed.
(b) Robe - The robe is made of an orange synthetic fabric woven with a botanical pattern and embroidered across the chest with a dragon using yellow, black, red, and gold metallic thread. The robe closes with a hook-and-eye closure at the collar and two black metal snap closures at the front. This was probably an additional costume for 2013.182.5a.
(c) Robe - The robe is made of a pink synthetic fabric woven with a botanical pattern and embroidered across the chest with a dragon using red, white, black, and gold metallic thread. The robe closes with four fabric frog closures at the front. This was probably an additional costume for 2013.182.5a.
(b) Robe - The robe is made of an orange synthetic fabric woven with a botanical pattern and embroidered across the chest with a dragon using yellow, black, red, and gold metallic thread. The robe closes with a hook-and-eye closure at the collar and two black metal snap closures at the front. This was probably an additional costume for 2013.182.5a.
(c) Robe - The robe is made of a pink synthetic fabric woven with a botanical pattern and embroidered across the chest with a dragon using red, white, black, and gold metallic thread. The robe closes with four fabric frog closures at the front. This was probably an additional costume for 2013.182.5a.
Status
Not on view
