French Musical Automaton “Clown Sur La Lune” Attributed to Roullet et Decamps

A remarkable example of French mechanical artistry, “Clown Sur La Lune,” or “Clown on the Full Moon,” is an enchanting musical automaton attributed to the celebrated Parisian firm of Roullet et Decamps. Combining extraordinary craftsmanship, whimsical imagination, and wonderfully lifelike animation, this captivating creation depicts a mischievous winged clown engaged in a playful exchange with an anthropomorphic full moon.

Perched atop the expressive papier-mâché moon, the clown wears colorful jester attire and features a finely hand-painted bisque head with glass eyes, signed and numbered by the renowned French dollmaker Émile Jumeau.

When activated, a two-tune cylinder music box accompanies a marvelous sequence of animated movements. The clown nods his head in amusement, flutters his wings, and repeatedly raises and lowers his arm, dangling the tantalizing beetle just beyond the moon’s reach. Below, the moon rolls his large glass eyes to follow the elusive insect, extending his tongue in a comical attempt to capture it. The remarkably expressive movements create the delightful illusion of a playful encounter between two living characters.

The automaton’s extraordinary depiction of the moon as a human face bears a striking resemblance to the iconic lunar imagery of Georges Méliès’s celebrated 1902 silent film, Le Voyage dans la Lune (A Trip to the Moon). The automaton is believed to have drawn inspiration from Méliès’s fantastical vision of the moon.

Dating to approximately 1910, the automaton incorporates an earlier Jumeau bisque doll’s head dating to the 1890s, bringing together the artistry of fine porcelain dollmaking and the mechanical ingenuity of the great automaton makers. This piece is one of the most iconic depictions of a full moon as a lifelike figure and is believed to have been inspired by the celebrated 1902 silent film by George Méliès, “Voyage Dans La Lune.”

A magnificent example of the imagination and technical sophistication that characterized the golden age of French automata, “Clown Sur La Lune” is as entertaining today as it was more than a century ago. Its theatrical composition, expressive characters, and intricate mechanical movements make it an exceptional addition to a collection of antique automata, mechanical music, or fantastical decorative arts.

This piece carries a one-year warranty.

25″ High x 12″ Wide x 8″ Deep

Jumeau Head, Circa 1890s

Circa 1910