Log c. 1860

This is a collection of objects which include an instrument by I. Thyssen, the ‘Log’, made of brass, copper, wood and glass. The first impression of the artwork is one of scientific precision coupled with the warmth of organic materials. We see an interplay between natural forms and man-made design, where the clock face is housed in a wooden casing and is contrasted by a brass propeller-shaped mechanism. This combination marries the industrial with the aesthetic, which was emblematic of its time. The piece represents how time, navigation and craftsmanship converge. The Log and its tools are not only instruments of measurement but also cultural artifacts. The piece invites us to reflect on how our relationship with time and space is mediated through technology.