fantoche

Fantoche is a term used in Spanish and Portuguese to denote a puppet or dummy, whether a toy or a figure controlled by a puppeteer. The word is borrowed from French and is applied broadly to puppets used in various forms of puppetry, including hand puppets, marionettes controlled by strings, rod puppets, and shadow puppets, as well as ventriloquist dummies.

In performance, a fantoche is typically operated by one or more puppeteers who manipulate its movements to convey character, emotion, and action. Puppets can be simple or technically elaborate, and they may be integrated with music, theatre, or cinema. Puppet theatre has a long cross-cultural history, with regional traditions such as Spanish títeres and other global forms that have influenced contemporary practice.

Beyond entertainment, fantoche also carries figurative meaning. In both Spanish and Portuguese, the term can describe a person who is a mere figurehead or puppet controlled by others, especially in politics or organizational leadership. This usage emphasizes lack of independent action and external influence over the subject.

Overall, the concept of the fantoche centers on an artificial figure whose movements are produced by a puppeteer rather than by autonomous action. The term encompasses a range of materials, styles, and cultural contexts, from traditional street performances to modern theatre, and it also serves as a metaphor for control in social and political discourse.