Watch 1835 - 1845

Curator: Here we have a watch, dating from around 1835 to 1845, attributed to Bolviller. It's currently housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Editor: It’s interesting how this functional object combines craftsmanship with fine art painting on a miniature scale. It also brings an element of social hierarchy to mind. What can you tell me about it? Curator: Think about the labor involved here. We're seeing a clear blurring of boundaries between craft and high art. The ornate metalwork, the precision of the watch mechanism itself, and the hand-painted scene all speak to specialized skills and production processes. What does it tell you about how these artisanal skills were valued? Editor: That's a great point. The value of skilled labor is definitely evident, although maybe more in the craftsmanship of the piece. What I'm drawn to is the intimate scene within the painting itself. Do you have an insight on this choice of representation? Curator: Absolutely! Considering it, we could ask about the image within and the status symbol associated with such personal timepieces. How does its decorative nature play with the idea of romanticized subject matter for private use by wealthy patrons? Does this combination give a subtle commentary on privilege through sentimental and visual excess? Editor: Interesting. Seeing it that way helps me to move past simply accepting it as decoration to something of far greater significance. Curator: Indeed. This wasn't merely ornamentation. It represents complex interactions involving manufacture and wealth as well as the exchange between social class through commodities with sentimentality embedded within design. Editor: I’ll remember that now when examining art! Curator: As will I, because I have come to believe that your generation possesses a great degree of savvy about commodities as a type of sign.