Watch 1645 - 1655

This delicate watch, crafted by Mallet, presents itself as a cross, immediately evoking notions of faith and salvation. The intricate detailing, with its floral motifs set against the stark geometry of the cross, creates a compelling visual tension. The symbolic merging of the sacred form with the mechanical precision of timekeeping invites deeper reflection. The cross, a signifier of eternity and the divine, is here literally measured by the clock's face, suggesting a convergence, or perhaps a conflict, between spiritual timelessness and mortal temporality. This tension destabilizes our understanding of these two concepts. Is time a sacred gift, or a relentless march toward the inevitable? The materiality of the watch, its small scale and tactile quality, suggests it was meant to be held, contemplated, perhaps even prayed over, as a personal symbol of faith mediated through the lens of time. This artwork becomes a profound meditation on the nature of existence itself.