Watch with Alarm c. 1725 - 1735

Curator: Here we have Paulus Bramer’s “Watch with Alarm,” crafted around 1725 to 1735. It is a metalwork piece composed primarily of brass and silver. Editor: The silvered face creates such a subtle shimmer. But what a constricting and alienating vision of time – trapped in that heavy frame, meticulously marking each incremental unit… Curator: I would suggest reading that ‘heaviness’ differently, as Baroque pieces often display exuberant theatricality precisely through dense detail. Here the design and material assert power, value. Note the detailed filigree at the centre. The composition commands our focused attention. Editor: I can see that the circular design could be a way to command, though it still feels constrictive to me. Whose time was being marked so meticulously and why? How does access to such an ornate timepiece differentiate class status, demarcate the ‘haves’ from the ‘have nots’ who did not possess, or perhaps need, to regiment time in this way? Curator: The materiality indeed contributes to our understanding of social power. We might also investigate this maker’s precise engineering. Consider the construction of the gears and movement. These elaborate mechanisms represent advancements in engineering and manufacturing capabilities, displaying early industrial ingenuity. Editor: Yes, and considering the context in which industrialisation allowed certain bodies to be seen as more capable and skilled than others. Timepieces and early machines were historically used to reinforce power structures…and to devalue labor for those who did not own or work on the machines, right? Curator: An insightful viewpoint that layers historical significance onto formal assessment. I find that this Baroque period pushes our eye to indulge in meticulous observation of the piece itself; and, ultimately, to recognise how design makes the value manifest. Editor: I find thinking of the social relations which allow certain pieces like this, and the values which they represent, still vital ways of viewing art’s impact. I’ll certainly be looking into timepieces and labour movements today!