The politicians are everywhere...even in this automaton!

In this political time of year, it only seems fitting to feature an automaton depicting a (in)famous politician. Here's the first in a new series from Jim Kransberger titled Homage to Richard . I coudn't locate a video, so created this two-frame animation to give you a feel for what it does.

The automaton measures 7 inches x 9 inches x 3.5 inches. This piece is "exo-mechanical", which he explains is his way of saying that the mechanics are on the outside. Works for me!

The second photograph shows the back side of the piece and all the mechanical parts that make it move. I can't quite make out the exact details, but clearly there is a crank arm attached to the same axle as the hand crank on the front. When it is rotated down, it looks like it may pull on strings that run up to the arms via the U-shaped bracket. Or, perhaps it pulls the entire U-shaped assembly down. In either case, the pulling action causes the arms to raise at the hinges. Meanwhile, the same pulling action acts on a lever behind Richard's head, causing it to turn.

You can see more sculpture and automata by Jim Kransberger on his web site.

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