Marionette Tchantchès

A Tchantchès theatre puppet from Liège, Belgium. 

This artist has been trough a lot. 
During his career, stage clothing was nailed to his body, broken legs repaired with metal wire and his skin painted over, then after finally being retired he was left neglected in an attic or basement. Somewhere in his life he must have been in a fire as well. 

I left him how I found him, but administered medecine against woodworm and talked to him about his adventures. 

Circa 1900, Possible a Pinet family puppet. (Last photo a member of this family with his puppets) 

73 x 14 x 9 cm