Mantel Clock c. 1938

This "Mantel Clock" was made by Francis Law Durand, sometime between 1855 and 1995, using some kind of paint on paper. It's fun to imagine Durand painting this clock, carefully rendering each detail. I wonder, was he thinking about time, its passage, its preciousness? I love the way the artist captured the essence of the clock's face with its intricate hands and Roman numerals. The dark decorative elements, framing the clock, feel playful. Maybe Durand saw this clock not just as a timepiece, but as a piece of art in itself? It reminds me a little of Morandi and his bottles. Different subject matter, but the same careful consideration, seeing with love. Whether still life or portraiture, it’s all mark making. Each stroke, a conversation between the artist and the world around them. It's a reminder that artists are always in dialogue with each other, across time and space, riffing off each other's ideas, inspiring new ways of seeing.