Watch 1810 - 1835

Editor: Here we have Henri Maillardet's "Watch," believed to be crafted between 1810 and 1835. It’s an exquisite object fashioned from gold, brass, and other metals, residing at The Met. It’s intensely ornate; all that decorative detail. How do you read this object? Curator: It’s fascinating to consider this watch through a materialist lens. Beyond its function as a time-telling device, let’s examine its construction and social implications. The materials—gold, brass, meticulously carved—speak to the resources and labor invested in its creation. Editor: The use of precious metals definitely elevates it beyond a purely functional item. Was that typical? Curator: Precisely! It reflects the era's economic landscape and the patron's desire to display wealth and status. We should consider the miners who extracted these metals, the artisans who shaped them, and the social hierarchies that enabled such exquisite objects to exist. Were the makers celebrated artists or anonymous craftspeople? Editor: That's a great point. The sheer detail suggests considerable skill, regardless of the artist's recognition. How do you see the Baroque style influencing its production? Curator: The Baroque aesthetic is certainly evident. This embellishment could be viewed as an ostentatious display of power and wealth but also think about Baroque pushing the material’s limits – metal transformed into near-organic floral relief. Editor: So, is this a blurring of the boundaries, almost a challenging of conventional separation of art and craft? Curator: Indeed. By appreciating the skill, labor, and resources that converged in its creation, we challenge that traditional division. The watch serves as both a functional object and a powerful artifact steeped in economic and social narratives. Editor: Seeing it as an intersection of labor, material, and status shifts my perspective entirely. It's not just a pretty object; it's a microcosm of its time. Curator: Precisely, looking closely at this object through a Materialist point of view expands our insight of its importance beyond telling time.