Tippoo's Tiger
Automaton with mechanical organ
India
About 1793
Museum no. 2545(IS)

This extraordinary model of a tiger devouring a European belonged to the Indian ruler Tipu Sultan. Tipu was known as the 'Tiger of Mysore' and the automaton was a symbol of his authority and a reflection of his opposition to the British. The tiger houses an organ, possibly the work of a Frenchman in Tipu's service, which simulates its roar and the shrieks of the victim.