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 created | June 24, 2009 |
Record URL |
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