Musical automaton "Violin player"
Musical automaton "Violin player"
France, Paris
circa 1890
Papier-mache, wood, metal, fabric, lace; sewing, wood works, painting, carving, mechanical works
55 х 28 х 23 cm, 7 kg
The automaton in the form of a musician's figure is mounted on rectangular stand covered with light brown velvet. The musician has a bisque head, brown glass eyes. He is wearing red beret on light curly hair. He is dressed in yellow blouse with corrugated bodice, with fluffy sleeves and white cuffs, red silk suit with belt, red silk waistcoat with yellow lining, red silk cloak with a collar and yellow lining. Brown knitted stockings and satin purple shoes with bows are on his feet. Beige bows with golden cones are the on his shoulders and on the boot cut trousers. The musician's hands are made of painted metal. He is holding a violin is in his left hand and a fiddlestick is in the right one.
Control mechanism and musical movement with cylinder, sound comb and spring motor are mounted in his trunk, with the winding key and activating button on the waist. When the movement is activated, the melody sounds, the musician moves his right hand over the strings, lowers and raises his head, turns it to the right and to the left.
Инв.1804/ММП