The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Art Object

Demonstration of David Roentgen's Automaton of Queen Marie Antoinette, The Dulcimer Player

Watch a demonstration of Queen Marie Antoinette's Automaton playing one of eight melodies it can perform.

David Roentgen (1743–1807) took his royal patron by surprise when he delivered this beautiful automaton to King Louis XVI for his queen, Marie Antoinette, in 1784. The cabinetry for this piece is very much a neoclassical masterwork, and the mechanism behind it is truly extraordinary: the figure strikes the strings in perfect rhythm with two small metal hammers held in her hands, which move with great precision.

This object, from the Musée des arts et métiers de Paris, is featured in the exhibition Extravagant Inventions: The Princely Furniture of the Roentgens (on view October 30, 2012–January 27, 2013).

View a full documentary featuring this object: http://www.cerimes.fr/le-catalogue/la-joueuse-de-tympanon.html

Footage courtesy of CERIMES.

David Roentgen: Long-Case Clock
(00:00:52)

The Roentgens' Berlin Secretary Cabinet
(00:02:20) 10549 views

Rolltop Desk by David Roentgen: Demonstration
(00:02:17) 16461 views

Rolltop Desk by David Roentgen: Animation
(00:01:00) 3008 views

Cup with cover

R W (British)

Date:: 1590–91
Culture:: British, London
Medium:: Mother of pearl, silver gilt
Dimensions:: Overall (confirmed): 7 3/4 x 3 7/8 x 3 7/8 in., 11 oz. 7 dwt. (19.7 x 9.8 x 9.8 cm, 0.354kg)
Classification:: Metalwork
Credit Line:: Gift of Irwin Untermyer, 1968
Accession Number:: 68.141.120a, b

This artwork is not on display

Signatures, Inscriptions, and Markings

Marking: [1] RW, pellet below, in a shaped shield [2] Leopard's head crowned (London assay affice mark) [3] Lion passant (London assay office mark) [4] N in pointed shield (date letter for 1590-91) Location of marks: [1]-[4] on foot rim, on upper collar of cup, on cover near pedestal for finial
Provenance

F.J. C. Holdsworth ; George A. Lockett (until 1960; sale, Old English Silver of the Tudor, Stuart Periods, Sotheby's, London, March 24, 1960, no. 46; sold to S.J. Phillips); [ S. J. Phillips (in 1960; to Irwin Untermyer, July 18, 1960) ] ; Irwin Untermyer (1960–68; to MMA)
See also
Who
R W (1)
What
Metal (59,364)

Metalwork (14,716)

Silver (14,056)

Gilt (9,043)

Drinking vessels (6,032)

Cups (3,861)

Mother of pearl (459)

Covered cups (27)
Where
Europe (148,586)

United Kingdom (25,557)

England (9,102)

London (2,006)
When
A.D. 1400-1600 (20,545)
In the Museum
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts (43,257)
Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History
Great Britain and Ireland, 1400–1600 A.D.

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Demonstration of David Roentgen's Automaton of Queen Marie Antoinette, The Dulcimer Player

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R W (British)

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Demonstration of David Roentgen's Automaton of Queen Marie Antoinette, The Dulcimer Player

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Cup with cover

R W (British)

Met Media

Met Kids

Met Store