Check out the excellent work by artist Thomas Kuntz, a sculptor who specializes in ornate, macabre automata.
The alchemical process begins with the exquisite clay sculpture that is transformed into a shell. This body houses gears, chains, shafts, cams, levers, cylinders and valves. Many materials are used including carefully machined brass, steel, wood and composites treated as they would have been in centuries past by the classic clockwork makers.
Unlike the quaint automatons of old which usually served as cheeky entertainment and used “found” doll parts in the process in addition to the skills of many specialized artists to complete them. Kuntz does all the work himself to keep the focus and spirit of each piece as it was originally conceived. The focus is on sculpture and the mechanical contrivances are a means to a magickal end. His Personal works are often dark and satirical and are the only of their kind in the world.
My favorites are the Alchemyst’s Clocktower and the L’Oracle Du Mort, the latter even more so because of the behind-the-scenes shots showing the creation of the automaton. [Thanks, Blake!]
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