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.

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

Teapot

Vezzi Factory (1720–27)

Date:: 1720–27
Culture:: Italian, Venice
Medium:: Hard-paste porcelain
Dimensions:: H. with cover: 5 3/4 in. (14.6 cm.) Gr. W.: 7 1/16 in. (7.9 cm.)
Classification:: Ceramics
Credit Line:: Purchase, Friends of European Sculpture and Decorative Arts Gifts,1999
Accession Number:: 1999.92a, b

This artwork is currently on display in Gallery 508

Description

The third factory in Europe to produce hard-paste porcelain was founded in Venice in 1720 by Francesco Vezzi (1651–1740); it remained in operation for only seven years. The imperfections of the teapot's glaze reflect the experimental nature of porcelain at this time.
Signatures, Inscriptions, and Markings

Marking: [1] Ven:a (in underglaze blue) [2] Af (incised)
Provenance

[ W. Agnew and Company, Ltd., London, England (until 1999; sold to MMA) ]
See also
Who
Vezzi Factory (4)
What
Ceramics (29,320)

Clay (23,649)

Faience (11,698)

Porcelain (11,369)

Hard paste porcelain (2,917)

Teapots (652)
Where
Europe (148,586)

Italy (20,983)

Venice (1,391)
When
A.D. 1600-1800 (66,179)
In the Museum
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts (43,257)
Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History
Venice and Northern Italy, 1600–1800 A.D.

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

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Vezzi Factory (1720–27)

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

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Teapot

Vezzi Factory (1720–27)

Met Media

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