Clockwork Game: The Illustrious Career of a Chess-Playing Automaton

Wigs were compulsory dress for men at this time, worn daily except during the most casual moments, so it took a while to get to the point where I could show von Kempelen au naturel. The practice of wearing wigs grew less common as the French Revolution approached: since wigs were inexorably linked to the aristocracy, as the nobles fell out of favor, so did the fashion. Anthon’s hair is his own; it’s hard to see in the low-res versions, but you can tell by the way his hairline is rendered.

The little gizmo on the door is supposed to be another of von Kempelen’s many little inventions. Nothing like this was ever attributed to him — I just like the idea of him outfitting his house with a bunch of neat labor-saving devices, like a counterweight to keep the front door’s crossbar from slamming down noisily.