Automaton: Diana and the Stag in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, January 2008

Automaton: Diana and the Stag
Silver, partly gilt, enameled, set with jewels; movement of iron, wood
Joachim Freiss (master 1610, d. 1620)
German (Augsburg), ca. 1620

Accession # 17.190.746

The stag has a hollow body and a removable head and can be used as a drinking cup. When used in drinking games, a mechanism in the base was wound up and the automaton was allowed to run freely on concealed wheels until it came to a halt before one of the participants at the table, who had to drink everything in the cup. Diana's bow, quiver, and arrow are late 19th century in date.

Text from the Metropolitan Museum of Art label.