Item HT 4819 Marionette - Le Forgeron Marionettes, Arabian Man, 1930-1956

Summary

Hand made marionette depicting an dishevelled Arabian man. It was manufactured and operated in Melbourne by Alex and Murray Smith, who performed as part of Le Forgeron Marionettes from 1930 until 1956.

Physical Description

Marionette depicting an Arabian man, who is quite dishevelled in appearance. He wears a blue and white-stripped shirt which has bee splattered with black paint. Over this, he wears a tattered black vest-type item. His pale brown-maroon, three-quarter length pants have intentionally cut holes in them and have also been splattered with black paint. His legs and feet have been partially painted in a very haphazard manner, whereas his hands and face have been painted properly. He has a piece of rubber nailed to his right palm, suggesting he once held something. His face in is reasonable condition. There is some chipping to the facial paintwork, particularly around his hairline. The Arab has pale green plastic eyes. His ears are quite chipped. His black hair and beard remains intact, although starting to disintegrate. He wears a floral turban in brown, beige, yellow, orange and green. He has a four piece mechanism. There are operating strings attached to numerous parts of him, including his head, limbs and shoulders. The feet have been weighted