Horloge 1789

Curator: Welcome. Before us is an ornate pocket watch, created around 1789 by the artisan Samson. Note the lavish ornamentation indicative of the late Baroque period, executed primarily in metal. Editor: The detail is incredible. Just looking at it, you get a real sense of the labour involved in making this object – I mean look at the chasing and engraving. You just don't see that kind of meticulous hand-crafting anymore. Curator: Indeed, pieces such as this reflect the growing preoccupation with personal timekeeping among the rising bourgeois class on the cusp of the Industrial Revolution. Watches transformed time from a communal rhythm into an individualized and quantified experience. Editor: And the materials! The metal casing isn't just functional; it's elevated with these etched pastoral scenes that blend refinement with something organic, grounding this display of technological skill in the world around it. What can you tell me about the making of an item like this? Curator: Well, while timepieces were becoming more commonplace, this specific piece would have likely been made for a person of wealth and status, which is suggested by its high level of finish and precious metal construction. Artisans who had achieved a level of mastery in the Baroque-style art-world sought commissions from individuals such as this. As technology became democratized, patronage and individual craftsmanship dwindled in proportion. Editor: Seeing the layers of craft, technique, and social coding all rolled into something as ostensibly simple as a watch… it's really quite extraordinary. Curator: Absolutely, by analyzing objects like "Horloge", we reveal a wider story about society, technology and personal values. Editor: Exactly. Thinking about the artistry and labor brings us into dialogue with the clockmaker across all that time and reminds us about what it is to shape raw materials.