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Automaton

ca. 1885 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Automaton depicting a monkey magician at a table covered with a cloth, beneath an arch covered with fabric flowers. The monkey has a composition head and hands and is dressed in a satin and silk costume suggesting a Commedia dell'Arte costume, with a high pointed hat. He holds two silver cups in his hands. The base of the automaton is painted and designed to resemble grass with 'growing' plants, and is mounted on a dark ebonised wood plinth. The whole of the automaton is covered with a shaped glass dome.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
wood plinth with glass dome covering assemblage of silk fabrics, composition, wood, and unseen metal mechanism
Brief description
Musical automaton with monkey magician, designed and made by Phalibois. Paris, ca. 1885
Physical description
Automaton depicting a monkey magician at a table covered with a cloth, beneath an arch covered with fabric flowers. The monkey has a composition head and hands and is dressed in a satin and silk costume suggesting a Commedia dell'Arte costume, with a high pointed hat. He holds two silver cups in his hands. The base of the automaton is painted and designed to resemble grass with 'growing' plants, and is mounted on a dark ebonised wood plinth. The whole of the automaton is covered with a shaped glass dome.
Credit line
Purchase made possible through the gift of an anonymous benefactor.
Subjects depicted
Bibliographic reference
Similar automaton published in Silber and Fleming, Illustrated Pattern Book of Furniture, Carpets, Rugs etc (London, 1885), vol. 2, p. 406.
Collection
Accession number
W.100-1975

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
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