Watch 1670 - 1730

Curator: At the Metropolitan Museum of Art, we find "Watch", a captivating sculpture by Pierre Duet, dating back to 1670-1730. It strikes me immediately as intensely baroque and miniature, with the figures rendered in fine detail despite the scale. What are your first thoughts? Editor: It’s the meticulousness that grabs me. To carve and then paint that level of detail onto something so small, with such luxurious materials-- that speaks volumes about labour and consumption in its own historical moment. Curator: Precisely. Considering the context of its creation, the piece comes at a time of rising colonial powers and wealth disparities in Europe. It is fascinating to see this wealth displayed in such intricate works of art, becoming fashionable items within the higher aristocratic classes. This item is an explicit materialization of wealth. Editor: It does makes me consider the societal hierarchies involved, who had access to time and artistry, who didn't, and the narrative encoded within. Curator: It's difficult not to, particularly when we analyze the positioning and representation of gender. The classical style female figures alongside what seems to be a representation of military power invites interpretations tied to masculinity and femininity. Editor: And we can also question who, precisely, benefited from this depiction of leisure. Was it just an artistic portrayal or something much deeper with more economic reach? Curator: Food for thought, isn't it? Thinking about it overall, I have no doubt its value resides in what this miniature encapsulates about the social environment in which it was conceived. Editor: Exactly. Looking at the workmanship behind "Watch" as the end-product helps expose broader patterns in the processes of making luxury objects throughout the Baroque era.