Restauruojame Stasio Ušinsko marionetes
ENIn 1936, artist Stasys Ušinskas founded the first puppet theatre in Lithuania. Antanas Gustaitis (1907-1990) was the scenario author of the first performance ‘Silvestras Dūdelė’, music was written by the composer Viktoras Kuprevičius (1901-1992), and the dolls were produced by the master Petras Svidras (1893-1957). In 1937 S. Ušinskas exhibited photos of puppets in personal exhibition in New York, and in 1938 he directed the first acoustic puppet movie ‘Dream of a Stout’ in Lithuania which was shown at New York World Exhibition in 1939. S. Ušinskas’ puppets are unique, because of suggestive and unexpected artistic and sophisticated technical combination, which allows transform puppets into different characters. In 1940, technical solution of puppets was patented in US - the patent is valid until now. Ten S. Ušinskas’ puppets are stored in the Lithuanian Theatre, Music and Film Museum. In 2006, the puppet from ‘Silvestras Dūdele was taken by specialists of the Pranas Gudynas Centre for Restoration to restore it. Puppets Bjaurus tipas (Nasty Bastard), Storulis (Stout), Arklys (Horse) and Jautis (Ox) were restored later. Firstly, the specialists took photos of the puppets. Technological research was carried out before the conservation and restoration. S. Ušinskas’ puppets are made of lightweight but strong materials: papier-mache, wire, fabric, leather, synthetic leather, fur, cardboard, tow, cotton-wool, rubber, wood.The torsos of human figures are made of wire frame, covered with cotton cloth colored with white casein tempera paint. Body parts are loose and coil-rolled steel wire construction makes flexible structure which provides smooth moves of a puppet. Pure cotton, viscose fibers and mixed (cotton with linen, wool with viscose) were used for producing puppets’ clothing. Layer after layer researching polychrome, specialists identified that combination of authentic primer and paint corresponds to that described in S. Ušinskas’ book ‘Puppet and Mask Theatre’. However, it was noticed that puppets were repeatedly restored by painting over on top, gluing cracked spots, consolidating torsos. Clothing of Stout, Nasty Bastard and Silvestras Dūdelė were carefully cleaned and washed; fur details have been cleaned up and shredded with a sparse comb. Various metal structures, springs and connection5 have been thoroughly cleaned and preserved. Parts that did not survived were carved of a wood. Polychrome puppet details of papier-mache and wood were consolidated; cracks, holes and crumbled paint spots repaid’ retouched and covered with a varnish. Control lines and function was re-established. Restoration specialists prepared detailed restoration documentation, consisting of technological research findings and conclusions, descriptions of the restoration process and photos.
