An inventor is born

In 1845 Gustave Pierre Trouvé, the eight-year-old son of Jacques and Clarisse Trouvé, designed and built a wind-powered puppet show, using connecting rods and gearwheels out of wood and wire. It was the second of 75 inventions he would make during the next half century. Once built and working, it was placed on the left pillar of the entry gate of Trouvé’s home in La Haye-Descartes, situated at the intersection of the Abilly and Neuilly-le-Brignon roads, beside a country stream called Vivesaigues.

Although this home is illustrated in George Barral’s seminal biography of Trouvé, we never thought we might come across a photo of the same house, taken in the 1950s and since destroyed.

A plaque commemorates the site.

Another piece in this forgotten puzzle!