Le Grand Marionnettiste, Monumental clock at International Puppet Institute in Charleville-Mézières, France
Le Grand Marionnettiste is a 10-meter brass automaton on the facade of the International Puppet Institute that displays mechanical movements through twelve different scenes. The moving parts and rotating figures activate automatically at set times throughout the day, combining artistic detail with working engineering.
Jacques Monestier created this mechanical clock in the early 1990s as a tribute to the city's puppet theater traditions. The project came together with community support and was built using local craftsmanship expertise.
The structure tells the story of the Four Sons of Aymon, a medieval legend from the region, through mechanical puppet scenes that play out on the facade. Passersby witness how this local tale is brought to life through moving figures and rotating parts.
The structure activates its movements hourly between 10 AM and 9 PM, when the different scenes play out one after another like an organized display. On Saturday evenings at 9:15 PM, all scenes are presented in sequence for a complete viewing experience.
The internal construction uses pneumatic systems and cam programmers to control a multi-ton mechanism where large scene elements slide on roller tracks. This hidden engineering works entirely behind the facade, remaining invisible to viewers while enabling the smooth automated performances.
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