Art Nouveau | Guide

Art Nouveau clock

Art Nouveau clock

Art Nouveau clock

Art Nouveau clock

The sculpture depicts a virgin with a flower in her hand and a flowing, shoulder-free robe and a cloth belt. The woman stands at a watering place, which is represented by colored marble. Below the clock, in the middle of a rock, a man's head with a full beard is depicted - presumably Chronos. The base is entwined with floral ornaments. The enamel dial has a gold-colored metal frame with a doublé rosette. The Arabic numerals are in a decorative font. The lettering "Cherbourg" is located above the six. The 14-day pendulum movement is a Japy movement with a strike on the bell. Manufactured around 1900.

Remarks

Note 1: The case of the watch is pure Art Nouveau. The same case with a different clock is in a museum in Saint Petersburg. In 1799, watchmakers agreed on the “Paris Line” for the caliber of watch movements. A Paris line (ligne) corresponds to around 2.256 mm.

Note 2: Unlike Chronos, the Greek god of time, Kairos is the Greek god of auspicious timing. Kairos is depicted with a pigtail or with a bald head, which gives rise to the expression “seize the opportunity”.

Image: Kairos on a fresco by Francesco Salviati