François Junod

François Junod discovered his true passion in 1980. In this time, he was making his studies of micro mechanics in Sainte-Croix. There, he met the son of Michel Bertrand (a automatist) who made him discover the trade of his father.

Enchanted by this mysterious automata world ,he worked two years with Michel Bertrand, where he made primarily restoration of old automata.
This one, taught to him all the techniques of old manufacturing .

The restoration of old automata was not his true vocation. His passion is to create them.
Indeed, the automatist trade does not have a appointed school. It is transmitted from generation to generation. Either, as specified François Junod, " it is necessary to do much search in the past ".

The Draughtsman, modern copy
of the Jaquet-Droz's Draughtsman,
1999 (F. Junod)

To supplement his formation and to specialize himself in the sculpture and the drawing, he studied three years at the school of beautiful arts of Lausanne.
As soon as his return at Sainte-Croix, Michel Bertrand advised to him to put himself on his account.

At the beginning of his career in 1984, he produced modern automata such as the angel (below) which one can admire in the CIMA Museum in Sainte-Croix.

The modern automata does not make really receipt. This is why, he turned back to the old automata and androïds, without giving up contemporary automata.

he became today, an uncontested Master of this disappearance art.

The authorities concerned define him as being a "Automatist-sculptor. Manufacture of androïds writers and draughtsmen, Jaquet-Droz quality. Contemporary manufacture of animated sculptures."

With the collaboration of his team, François Junod entirely produces automata in his workshops.

First of all, he imagines each figure such as a magician, then came the stage of creation.
As he says it so well " this trade is 5% of reflexion and 95% of sweat, because once that we had an idea, to creat it is very long."

Among his creations of contemporary automata, we can also quote " The walking man", like the angel, it is an electric automaton. This one was inaugurated in Sainte-Croix in May 2001.