A Book of Marionettes

This book presents a comprehensive survey of marionette art, tracing their presence from antiquity through regional traditions in Asia, Italy and southern Europe, France, Germany, England, and America. It combines historical overview, descriptive accounts of styles and figures, and photographic and diagrammatic illustrations of puppet types and stages. Practical chapters offer guidance on construction and staging, patterns and stage diagrams, alongside discussions of toy theatres, puppet plays for children, and the mechanics of shadow and string manipulation. A bibliography and index support further research, while the author intersperses personal anecdotes about puppet-making, rehearsals, and the practical life of performers.