Punch and Judy – October Screen Share

Celebrating costumes and the uncanny factor of all puppets, here is our October screen share. Just in time for Hallowe’en, use the image to dress up your desktop or embellish your Zoom meetings.

Scroll to the bottom for instructions on how to download a virtual background and set these images as your backdrop.

These two fine figures are from the Rosalynde Stearn Puppet Collection, in the McGill Library’s Rare and Special Collections. They are an excellent example of a two-dimensional articulated puppet, in their uncut state. Called Pantins, this Mr. Punch and his wife Judy, would be cut, mounted on cardboard or wood panel, and articulated using pins or fasteners. Punch and Judy are the English embodiments of a traditional form of slapstick puppetry, first seen in the Italian commedia dell’arte. Punch is derived from Pulcinello, a trickster and a clown. Read more about Punch and Judy and explore the puppet collection here.

For an at-home diversion to engage your mind and your fingers, print out this image, mount it on cardstock, and assemble for your very own at-home Punch and Judy production!

We’ve made a short tutorial video for you. Grab your scissors, practice your squeaky Punch voice if you don’t own a swazzle, and read the news for some source material to satirize. Share your projects and tag us on Instagram @Mcgill_rare.

Instructions:

How to Download the McGill Library images:

• Right-click on the image of your choice
• Click “Download Linked File As” and save it to your desired location (desktop, downloads, a folder, etc.)

How to Set Downloaded Image as Backdrop in Zoom once you’ve launched a Zoom meeting:

• Click on ^ next to “Stop Video” on the bottom left of your Zoom window and select “Choose Virtual Background”
• Click on the + on the right-hand side below the current image in your settings
• Click “Add Image”