自动音乐玩偶半身塑像‘班卓琴演奏者’ Gustave Vichy制造 约1890年

Musical Automaton Bust of a Banjo Player by Gustave
Vichy, c. 1890  
With composition head and original paint, modelled as
a young black man with smiling expression, dimpled
cheeks, articulated tongue  and "dancing" leather eye-
lids, green paperweight eyes, pierced ears, black mo-
hair wig and elegant composition hands playing five-
string banjo, two-air going-barrel movement with steel
Vichy key and "acorn" stop/start in the torso, on ebon-
ised plinth, dressed in green velvet jacket, gold satin
collar and bowtie, height 20 in. (51 cm), minor topical
craquelure that does not detract from overall appear-
ance. – The banjo-player turns and nods his head, winks
his eyes alternately, sticks of his tongue and strums with
his right hand. Once in a while, he pauses, lifts his arm
high into the air and thumbs his nose cheekily at the
audience. – Vichy intended this piece as the companion
to his automaton half-figure of a lady playing the lyre.
They were perhaps inspired by the bronze busts of
sculptor Emile Guillemin  (1841–1907). As a piece of
animated sculpture, the attractive original painted sur-
face resembles the patina of bronze. – A handsome
character in good working condition, with lively music
and an amusing finale! – Provenance: Ex-collection of
Jerry Steinbaum.