The Machine Chronographique draws inspiration from both ancient computers and Jacques Barbeu-Dubourg's Universal Chronography, a chronological timeline displaying 140 years of world history that could be mechanically scrolled and folded for transport.

On the chronographic machine, one can scroll through the 6,220 years of a saved gam from Civilization II, a 1995 4X strategy video game (explore, expand, exploit, exterminate) in which players guided the evolution and prosperity of a chosen civilization. The historical data integrated into the chronographic machine was gathered from a backup (retrieved from an online forum) of an anonymous player who had played with the Roman civilization. From this backup, I was able to extract and analyze the 62 centuries of an anachronistic and virtual history vcivilization. The historical data integrated into the chronographic machine was gathered from a backup (retrieved from an online forum) of an anonymous player who had played with the Roman civilization. From this backup, I was able to extract and analyze the 62 centuries of an anachronistic and virtual history.