Clock c. 1937

Grace Halpin made this clock sometime during her long life, between 1855 and 1995. It’s a watercolor and graphite on paper depiction of a calendar clock. During Halpin’s life, the United States went through enormous social change, including shifts in women’s rights and roles. This image of a clock, an object associated with the domestic sphere, could reflect women's work and identity. The clock, with its calendar, not only marks time but also evokes the cyclical nature of domestic labor. The detailed rendering and care given to its presentation suggests the object held a personal or sentimental significance for the artist. It invites us to contemplate the value and meaning we assign to everyday objects, and how they reflect our identities and lived experiences. It’s a quiet, yet powerful reflection on the passage of time.