Leather Puppets – Handcrafted Traditional Art

These small leather puppets come from the Tholu Bommalata tradition of leather puppetry, practised by artisans in Andhra Pradesh. Each piece measures 5 x 5 inches and is made by hand, cut from leather and then painted by hand in vibrant colours, with the intricate folk detailing that the craft is known for.

Because every puppet is hand-painted, the colours and fine lines vary a little from one to the next. The leather is light in the hand yet durable, so a puppet can sit on a shelf, lean against a wall of a study, or hang as part of a larger grouping without much fuss.

A compact piece of traditional Indian leather puppet artwork, made in the workshop rather than the factory.