From 28 April to 30 September 2012, precious Jaquet Droz timepieces and automata from the 18th century will be presented at the historical exhibition 'Automates & Merveilles'. The latter will take place along a route involving three Swiss museums: the Museum of Art and History in Neuchâtel; the International Watchmaking Museum in La-Chaux-de-Fonds and the Watchmaking Museum in Le Locle - Château des Monts. The exhibition revolves around three major figures in the field of watchmaking at the time: Pierre Jaquet-Droz, his son Henri-Louis and their collaborator Jean-Frédéric Leschot. To highlight their genius and answer the questions that bind them to the present, the three museums bring together their expertise and collections, enriched by several exceptional works from private and public loans. The Automates & Merveilles project brings together numerous scientific and technical collaborations, in particular with the Institut d'Histoire de l'Art et de Muséologie of the Université de Neuchâtel, which is leading a research project financed by the National Fund for Scientific Research. Dedicated to the history of the Jaquet-Droz family reconstructed through the analysis of a family business of international scope, this study constitutes an important part of the scientific basis of the project enriched by several collaborations with the Hautes Ecoles and with Swiss and European museum institutes. For information: www.jaquet-droz.com.
