Project Description

Charleville-Mézières
September 1985 – September 1991
Photos by Clovis Prevost

Cover of project proposal submitted to find funding
for the clock (photo of 1:10 scale maquette).		 1:5 scale maquette in workshop.
Life-size reconstruction in the garden of the building
that will receive the “Great Puppeteer” including face,
puppet theatre and the 12 tableaux.		 Study of head (from his sketch books).
Study of head’s volume. Various stages of head sculpting.
Study of the 12 scenes (from his sketch books). Study of the 12 scenes (from his sketch books).
First attempt to organize a tableau. Creation of the castelet (puppet theatre) in Jean-Louis
Rivière’s workshop.
Puppet theatre structure placed on conveyors and roller
tables.		 Study of cabling (from his sketch books).
Cabling for conveyors and roller tables. Michel Etcheverry in Jacques Monestier’s workshop.
Head Sculpture. Open day to present the “Great puppeteer”
to the public before taking it to Charleville Mézières.
Moving the “Great puppeteer”. Taking down
one of the 2 conveyors (600 Kg/ 94.48 st).		 Creation of the puppets.
Creation of the puppets. Moving the “Great puppeteer” Taking down
one of the four roller tables (300 Kg / 47.24 st).
Arrival of one of the three semi-trailers in Charlevilles
Mézières.		 Unloading and setting up of conveyor by the 3rd Engineer
Regiment.
Unloading and setting up of a roller table by the 3RD
Engineer Regiment.		 Installing the puppet theatre.
Finish installation of the puppet theatre and head with Mathias
Prévost and -François Bissonnet.		 Legs armature: Andy Lemercier.
Creation of legs : Clothilde Prévost, Mathias Prévost,
Andy Lemercier.		 Final touch for legs : Marie Janteur.
Placing the Great Puppeteer’s legs in final position. Inauguration of the “Great Puppeteer” on 21 September
1991.
Speech by Jacques Félix, Director of the International Marionette
Institute and Sponsor of the “Great Puppeteer”.		 The “Great Puppeteer” is finished.

The 800 patrons and their families on inauguration day.
Inaugurated on 21 September 1991.
Commissioned by Jacques Félix, Director of the International
Marionette Institute, 8, place Winston Churchill,
Charleville-Mézières,
France

Off screen voice by Michel Etcheverry
Trompe-l’oeil curtain by Joël Moulin

From 10 am to 9 pm, the Great Puppeteer presents an Ardennes legend – The Four sons of Aymon – in a series of 12 scenes.

Every Saturday, at 9.15 pm, the Great Puppeteer presents the 12 tableaux continuously.