Musical automaton "Girl reading a book"
Musical automaton "Girl reading a book"
France, Paris
Circa 1875
Jean-Marie Phalibois
Fabrics (silk, velvet, lace), biscuit porcelain, wood, metal, glass, natural hair; mechanical work, carpentry, sewing, painting on biscuit
74 × 58 × 26 cm
On the nape: erased maker's mark
The automaton is fixed on ornately shaped black-lacquered oval wooden base standing on turned round feet. When the mechanism is activated the automaton comes to life. The girl's arms alternately raise and lower, and her head turns and nods. These actions are accompanied by the sounds of musical mechanism that performs independently.
1496.1-2/ММП