Not currently on display at the V&A

Clown

Puppet
1981 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Marionette of a Clown from the Puppet Show sequence in Pinocchio. This marionette was one of twenty marionettes used by Peter and Frances Grant for their production of Pinocchio, adapted by them from Carlo Collodi's children's story The Adventures of Pinocchio for their touring company The Theatre of Marionettes. The Clown was also used in Gepetto's Workshop on Tour and Victorian Entertainments as an example of a 'Fantocchini' or trick puppet. The Clown can be manipulated to do the splits, bend over backwards and stand or walk on his hands.

The Grants started their company in the 1960s and worked with it all over Britain and Europe.

The bodies of the marionettes were sculpted by Frances Grant from obeche, a tropical type of wood well-known for its lack of splinters or resin, while the faces, hands and feet were sculpted by her using epoxy resin. Peter Grant dressed all the figures, using a wide range of fabrics and techniques for their costumes and their props.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleClown (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Epoxy resin, paint, beech, pine, limewood, fabric.
Brief description
Marionette of a Clown. Made by Peter and Frances Grant and used in their puppet play Pinocchio, adapted by them from the children's story The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi. Given by Peter and Frances Grant.
Physical description
Marionette of Clown with red hair wearing a light blue and red trimmed clown suit and white shoes. The head and hands are made from painted epoxy resin, the body made from beech. The feet are made from limewood and all other limbs are made from pine. The marionette is operated by a wooden control and 9 strings. The trick joints were created using Peter Fraser's book Puppet Circus.
Dimensions
  • Height: 18in
Credit line
Given by Peter and Frances Grant
Association
Literary references
  • Pinnochio
  • Puppet Circus
  • Gepetto's Workshop on Tour
  • Victorian Entertainments
Summary
Marionette of a Clown from the Puppet Show sequence in Pinocchio. This marionette was one of twenty marionettes used by Peter and Frances Grant for their production of Pinocchio, adapted by them from Carlo Collodi's children's story The Adventures of Pinocchio for their touring company The Theatre of Marionettes. The Clown was also used in Gepetto's Workshop on Tour and Victorian Entertainments as an example of a 'Fantocchini' or trick puppet. The Clown can be manipulated to do the splits, bend over backwards and stand or walk on his hands.

The Grants started their company in the 1960s and worked with it all over Britain and Europe.

The bodies of the marionettes were sculpted by Frances Grant from obeche, a tropical type of wood well-known for its lack of splinters or resin, while the faces, hands and feet were sculpted by her using epoxy resin. Peter Grant dressed all the figures, using a wide range of fabrics and techniques for their costumes and their props.
Collection
Accession number
S.223-2012

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Record createdMarch 27, 2012
Record URL
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