A strange puppet created by Austrian artist Richard Teschner, early 1900s.

Artist and puppeteer Richard Teschner was a pioneer as it pertains to his adaptation of “wayang”, an imaginative method of puppeteering that utilizes rods to manipulate puppets on stage. The art dates back to the 800s with wayang artifacts being traced to Indonesia and areas in and around Southeast Asia. In addition to his talents as a puppeteer, Teschner was also an adept painter, illustrator, composer, and sculptor. 

Teschner started the process of perfecting his puppeteering as a youth while studying art in both Prague and Vienna. By the time he was 27, he was already running his own puppet/marionette company in Prague. During this time Teschner was using more traditional forms of puppeteering, although a trip to the Netherlands in 1911 would lead to his discovery of the wayang style of puppeteering. Upon his return to Prague, he immediately incorporated the use of rod puppets into his shows.

Teschner’s puppets were curiously designed and often wore exquisite clothing generally reserved for nobility and upper-class of the time, making them even more spellbinding in appearance. By re-engineering this ancient form of entertainment, Teschner helped usher in a resurgence of interest in puppeteering across Europe. In the very early 1900’s in the U.S. puppet shows were popular, and once news of what was happening in Prague made it to America, puppet shows evolved into more elaborate stage productions covering a diverse range of topics.

You can see examples of Teschner’s puppets as well as other pieces of his visionary work below. I’ve also included footage of Teschner performing live with his marionettes in 1934.
 

 

Another imaginative marionette by Richard Teschner.
 

A puppet made by Teschner called “Bimini.”
 
More magical marionettes after the jump…