Today, on World Juggling Day, in our traditional section ‘Exhibit in detail,’ we present an item from the ‘Amusing Automata’ collection – automaton  ‘Clown Juggler’, made in Paris circa 1988, by Roullet & Decamps.

The automaton is a figure of a juggling clown mounted on the top panel of a wooden rectangular stand. The clown has a red ring on his head, a green ball with four yellow and red rings stacked on top of each other, and a red ball on his nose. The juggler is dressed in the red and blue plaid jacket with lining, red flannel collar and cuffs, red and white striped blouse, and shapeless, overly long and wide yellow and brown checked trousers held up by green suspenders. A large bowknot with multicoloured pattern is tied around the neck. Brown boots with long rounded toes and red laces are on his feet. The clown's arms are bent at the elbows, raised and spread apart.
The electrically driven control mechanism is mounted in the base. The rear panel has five round holes. Black cord with a two-pin plug for connection to a 220 V AC mains supply emerges from the bottom.
When the mechanism is activated, the clown balances, moves his torso and head, the rings rotate, and all actions are repeated several times. The head and arms made of biscuit porcelain, and the carved wooden clown shoes are manufactured by Maison ‘Filopat’ (creators of wire and cork dolls).

This year, World Juggling Day is celebrated on June 14, the Saturday closest to June 17. It is an unofficial holiday celebrated by professionals and enthusiasts of this circus art genre. The holiday is timed to coincide with the founding date of the International Jugglers' Association, which was established on June 17, 1947 in the United States at the convention of the International Brotherhood of Magicians in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The main goal of the jugglers' association was to unite professional jugglers from different countries around the world. In 1995, the holiday acquired worldwide status.

Maces, plates, rings and balls flying through the air, caught by the artist in the arena, is one of the most popular circus acts. Masterful manipulation of objects is one of the oldest arts. Images of jugglers can be found in ancient Egyptian cave paintings dating back to the 2nd millennium BC. The ancient Greek historian Xenophon of Athens wrote about a dancer from Syracuse who juggled 12 hoops, while the Chinese Lan Tzu was skilled at wielding seven swords simultaneously. The brave Chinese warrior did not choose the object he juggled by chance, of course. Works written in 770-476 BC describe how, before battle, the Chinese would show their enemies their skill in juggling weapons, thereby ending the conflict before it even began.

Until a certain point, jugglers demonstrated their skills in wealthy homes and on the streets during holidays, earning their living. Everything changed with the advent of professional circuses. It was then that jugglers found a place to realise their skills and talents, and the circus became their workplace.

In the 21st century, juggling has become quite a popular hobby, with juggling clubs and competitions popping up. Nowadays, jugglers toss all sorts of things into the air: balls, rings, plates, sticks, clubs, cylinders, billiard cues, and even candlesticks.