“Harpiste Mauresque” (Moorish
Harpist)
Made by Gustave Vichy, Paris, France
c. 1880
29-1/4”h x 8-3/4”w x 15-3/4”d
The Murtogh D. Guinness Collection
Morris Museum
Parisian automata makers often looked around them for their
subject matter—to the numerous fairs, festivals an`d
international expositions taking place in their city, many
of which featured people from far-off countries, who were
then considered “exotic.” An example is this
highly animated harpist, who sits on an octagonal stand;
she was marketed by Vichy as a “Harpiste Mauresque.”
