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A monkey sees a magic trick One fine day, a group of people gathered in a park to watch a street magician perform. Among the spectators was a curious monkey, perched on a nearby tree branch. The magician, dressed in flashy attire, began his act with a grand gesture. He pulled out a deck of cards and shuffled them with flair, catching everyone's attention. As he performed his tricks, the monkey, sitting with keen interest, observed the entire spectacle with an intense gaze. One trick, in particular, left the audience in awe.

As Louis Marin has pointed out, role-switching is endemic to these kinds of theatrical processions, with an individual subject alternately, or even simultaneously, inhabiting the role of actor and spectator at different points in the spectacle. 19 I suggest that the ambiguous nature of these mechanical bodies tapped into a vein of court culture familiar to many of us — that fascination with ambiguous or liminal objects. (SLIDE 25) Early modern courtly collectors developing their own kunst- and wunderkammern in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, such as Rudolf II, delighted in ambiguous artworks that transcended boundaries of all kind. 20 This sometimes meant artistic boundaries of medium, as in this work by Hendrick Goltzius in which he simulated the swelling and tapering lines of engraving with ink and oil paint on canvas. 21 (SLIDE 26) Also fascinating was the visual boundary between illusion and reality, something Joris Hoefnagel explored in this illuminated manuscript from the Rudolfine collections. 22 (SLIDE 27) And, of course, there was the ever-fruitful conceptual boundary between artificialia and naturalia. Collectors also prized art that imitated or played on effects of natural materials, such as this landscape done in pietre dure — or, as I like to think of it, a landscape made of the landscape. 23

Two decorated arches stood at the city gates one at the Danube Gate on the northeastern side of the city, and one on the Bauernmarkt to the southwest on the opposite side of the river. Note that he choose to convey the wonder engendered by the dancing statues through a pun on confused identities the automata were so marvelous, their viewers so stupefied, that they appeared to swap roles.

One trick, in particular, left the audience in awe. The magician selected a card and showed it to the crowd, ensuring everyone memorized it. He then placed it back into the deck, shuffled it some more, and made the deck vanish completely.

Abstract

This paper explores the mechanized performance of fealty by marvelous mechanical bodies in early modern joyous entries in northern Europe. Colossal sculptures and paintings allegedly bowed to Philip II in 1549 and Duke François of Anjou in 1582 during their entries into Antwerp, and to Rudolf II in his 1577 entry into Vienna. I will investigate how these automated bodies meshed with the discourses of these spectacular entries. Contemporary theories of meraviglia suggest a body that conspicuously crossed the boundary between inert sculpture and animated being could still the audience into statuesque spectators, thus calling attention to the wondrousness of the machine’s manufacture as well as the wondrousness of the animating sovereign’s presence. By connecting these mechanical marvels to literary conventions of artificial bodies and automata in late sixteenth-century elite society, we can better understand why these fealty-performing bodies would have been considered ideal signals of courtly power.

The spectators gasped, wondering where the deck had gone. The monkey, who had maintained a laser-like focus throughout, did not miss a beat. It seemed as if the trick had captivated his attention, even more so than the humans around him. To everyone's astonishment, the magician then declared that the chosen card will reappear in an unlikely place. The crowd watched intently as he ran his hands over his hat, building anticipation. With a swift motion, he took off his hat, and to everyone's amazement, the selected card flew out and elegantly landed on the ground. The monkey, recognizing the card from earlier, let out an excited chitter. It had understood the trick and was thoroughly impressed. The magician, surprised by the monkey's reaction, smiled and playfully tossed the card towards the monkey. In a flash, the monkey grabbed the card and scurried up the tree, clutching it tightly in its tiny hands. It seemed as if the monkey wanted to keep the memory of the magical moment forever. The spectators, amused by the monkey's antics, burst into laughter. The street magician, realizing that his trick had left an impression on the curious primate, acknowledged the monkey's determination and love for the magic. In the end, it was not just the humans who were entertained by the magic trick, but also the intelligent and observant monkey. The moment showcased how magic can transcend barriers and captivate even the most unexpected of audiences..

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