Playing (with) Puppets: Jigging Puppets from the Middle Ages to the 20th Century

This study investigates the animation technique known as marionette a tavoletta (French: marionnette à la planchette), focusing on its iconographic and textual presence from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. Through the analysis of visual sources—such as the 12th-century Hortus Deliciarum—and written records, the research traces how this form of jigging puppet, originally used by musicians for popular entertainment, evolved and persisted in both folk traditions and performative arts. The study aims to highlight the cultural continuity and transformation of this medieval animation device in visual culture and historical documentation.