Barometer 1760

This is a barometer made by John Whitehurst, an English clockmaker and scientist, sometime in the 18th century. It’s more than a scientific instrument, it’s a statement about the rising status of science in society. Barometers like this became fashionable status symbols, demonstrating the owner’s interest in natural philosophy, as science was then known. Notice the ornate carving: the birds, ribbons and sunburst aren’t strictly necessary for measuring air pressure, but they elevate the object from the merely functional to the decorative. The design is in the tradition of the English Rococo, but some of the motifs have been interpreted as chinoiserie, reflecting the fashion for Chinese decorative styles. What does it mean to use art to understand these objects? We can consult trade directories, scientific publications, and the papers of the Royal Society to understand the context in which Whitehurst was working and how the public role of science was changing in the 1700s.