Important Notice

ANDHRA PRADESH
20TH CENTURY
a) Natural pigment on leather
51 in (129.5 cm) high

b) Natural pigment on leather
46.5 in (118 cm) high

c) Natural pigment on leather
47.75 in (121 cm) high

d) Natural pigment on leather
44.5 in (113 cm) high

e) Natural pigment on leather
54.5 in (138.4 cm) high

f) Natural pigment on leather
40.5 in (103 cm) high

g) Natural pigment on leather
48 in (122.5 cm) high

h) Natural pigment on leather
54.5 in (138 cm) high

i) Natural pigment on leather
54.25 in (137 cm) high

j) Natural pigment on leather
54.25 in (137 cm) high

k) Natural pigment on leather
35.5 in (90.4 cm) high

(Set of eleven)

Puppets were used to represent mythological characters and formed an important part of the performative tradition.


Tholu Bommalata (tholu - leather, bommalata - puppet dance) is the leather shadow puppetry of Andhra Pradesh. The art form flourished in Andhra Pradesh as early as the 12th century, and involved elaborate, multiple night-long performances that narrated stories of divinity, including those from the Ramayana and Mahabharata.

Traditionally crafted from deer skin, leather puppets are now made from goat hide. The leather is cured and treated until the skin becomes translucent. The cutouts are then painted, with specific colours representing characters from the epics. Blue represents Ram and Krishna, green is for Anjaneya, and rishis are represented in yellow. Jewellery is shown by perforating designs on the puppets and holding them against the light, so that they are backlit and glow.The sizes vary - principal characters are typically around four feet, while supporting characters are much smaller. Size is also used to give an illusion of perspective. The same character is made in different sizes, so that as they move closer or away from the audience, a puppet of a different size replaces the one being used. A single puppeteer controls the movement of one puppet with a bamboo stick and lends his voice to it. Movements are highly intricate, with over ten different movable joints.

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