The Metropolitan Museum of Art - Two-handled cup with cover

Art Object

David Roentgen's Automaton of Queen Marie Antoinette, The Dulcimer Player (La Joueuse de Tympanon)

Watch this surprising video of an automaton play the dulcimer.

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).

See the full video: http://www.cerimes.fr/le-catalogue/la-joueuse-de-tympanon.html

Footage courtesy of CERIMES.

Video/Audio (4)

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

The Roentgens' Berlin Secretary Cabinet
(00:02:20) 10632 views

Rolltop Desk by David Roentgen: Demonstration
(00:02:17) 16720 views

Rolltop Desk by David Roentgen: Animation
(00:01:00) 3016 views

Two-handled cup with cover

Francis Leake (active 1655–83)

Date:: 1669–70
Culture:: British, London
Medium:: Silver gilt
Dimensions:: H. 9 in. (22.9 cm)
Classification:: Metalwork
Credit Line:: Gift of Irwin Untermyer, 1968
Accession Number:: 68.141.254a, b

This artwork is not on display

Signatures, Inscriptions, and Markings

Marking: [1] Leopard's head crowned; [2] Lion passant guardant; [3] M, date letter for 1669–70; [4] FL a bird below in cut-edged, heart-shaped punch for Francis Leake Location of marks: [1]-[4] on neck of cup and again on underside of flange of cover
See also
Who
Francis Leake (2)
What
Metal (59,364)

Metalwork (14,716)

Silver (14,056)

Gilt (9,043)

Drinking vessels (6,032)

Cups (3,861)
Where
Europe (148,586)

United Kingdom (25,557)

England (9,102)

London (2,006)
When
A.D. 1600-1800 (66,179)
In the Museum
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts (43,257)
Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History
Great Britain and Ireland, 1600–1800 A.D.

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David Roentgen's Automaton of Queen Marie Antoinette, The Dulcimer Player (La Joueuse de Tympanon)

Two-handled cup with cover

Francis Leake (active 1655–83)

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David Roentgen's Automaton of Queen Marie Antoinette, The Dulcimer Player (La Joueuse de Tympanon)

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Two-handled cup with cover

Francis Leake (active 1655–83)

Met Media

Met Kids

Met Store