Watch 1705 - 1715

Editor: This object is called "Watch" and it dates from the early 1700s. It appears to be decorative art made by Pierre Gauthier. What's really striking to me is the detailed scene captured in such a small, circular format. What catches your eye when you look at it? Curator: Ah, "Watch," it whispers tales of a time when even keeping time was an art form. It is a very human approach to a technological item! You know, when I look at this miniature world encased in metal, I see echoes of grand Baroque paintings, only shrunken, distilled. The figures are arranged with such drama, wouldn't you agree? I see tenderness in that interaction between the two main figures; perhaps it's a mother and child? Does that resonate with you at all? Editor: It does! And now that you mention it, I also notice the composition feels really dynamic, almost like a theatrical stage. Were these watches usually commissioned or were they common in society? Curator: Oh, my dear, these weren’t your everyday Casios! These watches were treasures, commissioned by the wealthy as both functional objects and displays of status. Can you imagine carrying this little stage of life around with you, peeking at the time and contemplating your mortality? What story do you think Gauthier is telling us, crammed as it is in this little space? Editor: Maybe a narrative from the Bible, like the Adoration of the Magi. The camel and gifts… it all points in that direction. I'd assumed its monochrome appearance indicated its antiquity. I see, though, how it also adds a certain weight and gravity to it. Curator: Absolutely! Each time I look at this object, I’m both fascinated by the artist’s skill to depict such emotion on a watch and grateful to experience its presence, a time capsule in The Met's galleries. Editor: Well, thank you for your insights. I will never look at watches the same way! Curator: Indeed, I wonder how this artwork's function reflects our modern dependence on them, always connected to the ticking clock. Food for thought.