Watch 18th century

Curator: Let’s pause here in front of this stunning 18th-century watch, currently residing here at The Met. The maker is recorded as Denis Miroglio, also seen as Miroli, though details about the artist’s life remain scant, almost as elusive as time itself. Editor: My goodness, what a dizzying delight. It's like holding a tiny universe of swirling metal in your hand, all those flourishes! I feel as though it holds a story within its gleaming surface, a little epic of chasing time... Curator: Indeed! The entire surface is engraved, baroque ornamentation that covers it all. One might argue that it becomes sculptural. Look closely at the detail—the use of metal transformed with such grace, those almost playful motifs amongst the crests… Editor: Materially, I'm fascinated. What kind of metal do you think they used? The process of engraving something so small must have been painstakingly labor-intensive, with each scroll of leaf or miniature scene speaking volumes of the maker's skill. What does that labor signify? What about consumption during this time? Curator: We have here both something intensely personal but representative of its owner's place and societal ambition, which really complicates this precious object. Think about what it means to not only track but to flaunt your relationship to temporality! I get caught up thinking about how easily one could have been lost or melted down; we’re so fortunate that its journey across time continues on for us. Editor: I see how it performs status, like a metallic, miniature billboard broadcasting identity and wealth... and I guess its very smallness makes it even more interesting; the skill needed would require specific workshops with highly trained engravers dedicated to the manufacture and sale of ornamental objects during the 18th Century. Curator: It seems like this small piece is an interesting snapshot of art history and the history of object production! Editor: Totally—a glimpse into history told in meticulously crafted metal! What an extraordinary, material exploration!