What is the most popular puppet in Czech puppet theatre? It’s not a princess, or Simple Honza. It’s the devil! And Belial the Devil is the pride of our collection.

One of the oldest puppets in Karel Novák’s exhibition, Belial the Devil, was carved by Jan Kubeška some time between 1820 and 1830. Belial appeared in the theatre of Jan Nepomuk Lašťovka, and then in later years passed smoothly into the experienced hands of Ludva Novák, one of the most talented Czech puppeteers of the first half of the 20^th century.