Torenuurwerk van Dent op de Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations van 1851 in Londen 1851

This photograph by C.M. Ferrier & F. von Martens captures Dent’s tower clock mechanism at the Great Exhibition in London in 1851. The Great Exhibition was a symbol of Victorian Britain's industrial might and imperial reach. Dent, a celebrated clockmaker, epitomized the era's obsession with precision and progress. This clock, a marvel of engineering, was not just about telling time, it was about controlling it, reflecting a society increasingly governed by schedules and efficiency. Consider the social implications: timekeeping was becoming standardized, impacting labor, travel, and daily life. The clock, thus, becomes a symbol of power, dictating the rhythm of society. The photograph, with its stark depiction of the clock’s inner workings, invites us to reflect on how technology shapes not only our world but also our very experience of time. It invites a moment of consideration for those whose lives were—and are—most impacted by these technologies.