John-Mikaël Flaux has been designing and handcrafting automatons for over ten years. A watchmaking graduate, who was awarded a gold medal at the French Best Apprentice competition, he opened his own workshop in 2008.
His latest creation is Le Cabré, the first automated rearing horse in history. Artists have always been challenged by the mechanical reproduction of their mighty stride. Rearing, in particular, has always eluded automaton-makers. Until now.
Songbirds were always a favorite with automaton-makers. Since the Age of Enlightenment, skilled artisans have faithfully rendered their movements and songs. But the horse is a whole new level of difficulty. Combining force with grace, power, and agility, the kinematics of trot and gallop summon up hundreds of muscles and movements synchronized in perfect harmony and fluidity. The association of perfect stability on the hind legs with an asynchronous mobility of the two forelegs required for the rearing position makes its mechanical reproduction a technical feat.
The vision of a rearing horse came to him in 2019. His imagination was completely taken over by the conception of this perfectly fluid and purely mechanical creation. The challenges were many and immense. First, reproducing the physiognomy of an Arabian thoroughbred. Connoisseurs should be able to recognize it at first glance: a fine face, slender muscles, and a high, curved tail – exuding velocity, without losing any of its elegance.
John-Mikaël Flaux’s Rearing Horse hides several automatons blended into one: each part has its own, dissociated movement – the body, the left and right front legs, the mane, and the head. All pieces work together in perfect gestural harmony, without the slightest jolt – as would be the case with automatons of a lesser craftsmanship.
“My Rearing Horse has nothing to do with machines, artificial intelligence or robots. It was entirely drawn by hand. I personally made 75% of its components in my own workshop, and trusted specialised artisans with the rest, such as the wooden case. The mechanism needs to be winded by hand. In this Rearing Horse, there is as much passion as there is intent and poetry.”
John-Mikaël Flaux
Each Rearing Horse will be unique and made to order with bespoke modifications. Different materials, finishing touches, and colors are available; the case can also be modified to order, as well as the clock it can include.
Key specifications:
450 componants
1500 h manufacturing
2 years of creations
L.224 * l.124 * H.240
Rearing horse only
L.100 * l.25 * H.130
100% mechanical – key winding
Mysterious trigger with clock (Ø47)
Materials:
Golden brass, polished steel
Solid silver head
Smoked eucalyptus box
Full grain Taurus and Alcantara leather trunk
Glass showcase
Le Cabré has been created by John-Mikaël Flaux in association with Ben & Bros
For more information please visit https://www.john-mikael-flaux.com/