Shadow play, also known as shadow puppetry, is an ancient form of storytelling and entertainment which uses flat articulated cut-out figures which are held between a source of light and a translucent
OFB Qianlongsatz 03 Krieger
A performance of wayang, an Indonesian shadow puppet form
This Chinese shadow puppet is illustrative of the ornate detail that goes into the figures. From the collection of The Children's Museum of Indianapolis.
Chinese shadow puppetry is a form of theater whereby colorful silhouette figures perform traditional plays against a back-lit cloth screen, accompanied by music. From Kaifeng Prefecture.
Karagöz and Hacivat are the lead characters of a traditional Turkish shadow play, popularized during the Ottoman period and then spread to most nation states of the Ottoman Empire. It is most prominen
Shadow play
…widespread throughout the Ottoman Empire, possibly since the late 14th century. It was centered around the contrasting interaction between the figures Karagöz and Hacivat: an unprincipled peasant and his fussy, educated companion. Together with other characters they represented all the major social groups in Ottoman…
Karagöz (left) and Hacivat (right)
Karagöz and Hacivat play at Turkfest in Seattle (2007)
Supporting characters in Karagöz and Hacivat
Hayalî Craig Jacobrown at Turkfest in Seattle (2007)