Wijzerplaat van horloge en decoratie voor horlogekast c. 1610 - 1615

This is a design for a watch face and case decoration, made by Antoine Jacquard sometime in the mid-17th century. The image offers us a glimpse into the cultural values of the period. It's more than just a way to tell time; it's a statement of wealth and status, a reflection of the social hierarchy. The erotic imagery that pervades the design – the putti, the nymphs, the reclining nudes – speaks to the cultural fixation on classical antiquity and its celebration of the human form. This was a time when wealthy elites looked to the art and literature of ancient Greece and Rome for inspiration and legitimation. The watch, then, becomes a way to display one's knowledge of, and affinity for, these classical ideals. To understand the image fully, we need to look at the social history of the decorative arts in 17th-century Europe. This involves delving into auction catalogs, guild records, and pattern books. Only then can we begin to understand the meaning of this object in its original social context.