Longcase clock c. 1700 - 1750

Curator: What an intriguing piece. This longcase clock, crafted sometime between 1700 and 1750 by Anthonie van Oostrom, presents an object where timekeeping meets high art. Editor: It has such an assertive presence, doesn’t it? The wood’s dark grain against those bright metal figures… it dominates the space with its sheer verticality. The sculptor made sure one has no doubt who or what is in charge in the space. Curator: Absolutely. And notice how the Baroque influence isn’t merely decorative, it's interwoven with the symbolic meaning. Look at Atlas, the figure supporting the celestial sphere on the very top. Time, after all, is connected to celestial movements, cosmic order... Editor: I'm captivated by how that figure draws your eye upward. The curves, the sharp edges… They create this dramatic interplay between shadow and light. See also that repeated triangular motif between its head and the arched window on the very top. So sharp. And the metallic accents are expertly positioned. It directs your view upward to the sphere above. Curator: Consider those metallic figures. Notice the details. Each represents a concept—perhaps fleeting moments, or cherubic guardians of time itself. Each is different in posture, dress, and weaponry. They remind us that time is measured but its value and measurement itself is subject to various cultural forces and concepts. Editor: You’re right. There's a deliberate contrast at work. A visual hierarchy with that globe bearer dominating. Its shape also nicely counterpoints with all the perpendicular angles of the tower. Curator: And the materials! Wood for rootedness, for the earthly passage of time. And metal for precision and a promise of immortality of function. Combined they offer that perfect baroque sensibility for how to deal with something as large as TIME. Editor: Thinking about this combination...I’m drawn to how Oostrom juxtaposed the unyielding with the ever-fleeting through both materials and sculpture, reflecting an ordered, yet subtly chaotic experience. A lovely example of a sculptor fully engaging with time, medium, and art in society. Curator: Indeed. Reflecting how humans interact with a large and often challenging philosophical idea like time. Editor: Something I will now definitely ponder a bit longer!