French musical automaton, ca. 1920.

French musical automaton, ca. 1920.
"Young man with tambourine".
Ceramic head and arms.
Period dress in fabric.
It has a key.
It works.
Exhibits wear consistent with age and use.
Measurements: 46 x 18 x 24 cm.

Musical automaton of French manufacture, made in the twenties. The big blue crystal eyes add expressiveness to the ceramic face. She wears a straw-blond wig and wears the original costume, with a bullfighter's hat decorated with trimmings, a pleated bodice and a short apron over satin stockings. In her right hand she holds the tambourine, which sounds when she starts up.

During the 1920s, there was a resurgence of interest in automata and musical boxes in France. These objects combined traditional craftsmanship with technological advances, serving as both entertainment and decorative pieces. This musical automaton is not only a display of the technical skill of the craftsmen of the time, but also a reflection of the nostalgia and admiration for the 18th century that prevailed in the interwar period in France.