Watch 1761 - 1771

Jean Antoine Lépine's watch is crafted from gold and enamel, with a portrait of a young woman adorning its cover. Observe the laurel wreaths encircling the watch's perimeter, symbols of victory and immortality since ancient times. The Greeks awarded laurel wreaths to triumphant athletes and heroes, continuing through Roman emperors, adorning their statues and coinage as emblems of power and eternal glory. Consider how this motif surfaces again and again, such as in Renaissance paintings, where laurel wreaths crown figures to denote their virtue and intellectual prowess, or even on the modern Olympic medals. The presence of the laurel wreath here, surrounding the portrait, invites a subconscious association between the portrait and these qualities, linking her to a lineage of celebrated figures across history. This invokes powerful emotional states, elevating the image to one of prestige, and engaging viewers on a deep level. Symbols such as the laurel wreath, though changed, retain echoes of their past significance.