Emile Ratier came from a farming family in the Lot region. A farmer, he was also a timber merchant and later a clog maker. From a young age, Emile Ratier was accustomed to working with wood and making his own furniture. He was very inventive.

At the age of 65, his eyesight gradually deteriorated until he became blind. He combined his love of wood with his mechanical aptitude to create kinetic sculptures. Using salvaged materials—bits of wood, crates, wire, tin can lids—he crafted animated constructions, often inspired by his Parisian memories, depicting the Eiffel Tower, buses, carousels, weavers, animals, boats, and more. His creations, designed to be touched and listened to, operated with cranks that activated animals, bells, and swings. The sounds and creaks allowed him to check the finish of each object and its mobility.