Pierre-François Guillois (1764- ?) Articulated mannequin Wood, metal and string H : 185,5 cm Traces of wear Related work : - François Pierre Guillois, Articulated mannequin, wood, metal and string, signed " GUILLOIS ", H. 150 x W. 70 x D. 90 cm, Paris, école nationale supérieure des beaux-arts de Paris, inv. MU11724. Related literature: - Jane Munro, Artist's Mannequin, Fetish Mannequin, cat. exp. Cambridge, Fitzwilliam Museum, 14 October 2014-25 January 2015, Paris, Musée Bourdelle, 31 March-12 July 2015, Paris, Paris Musées, 2015, pp. 50-51. This wooden mannequin is the work of Pierre-François Guillois, a mechanic and amateur artist who worked in particular on the "skeleton", i.e. the internal framework of the mannequin in order to perfect its movements. He created an articulated mannequin with a wooden structure very similar to that of the human body's bone structure, thus allowing for better mobility of the object, thanks to a system of hinges and strings, and a better understanding of the gestures. Guillois' intention was to facilitate the work of artists and to serve as a support during anatomy classes. In March 1799, he presented a version of his prototype to the teachers of the Royal Academy. The École nationale des Beaux-Arts in Paris has a copy similar to ours.