Tall Case Clock c. 18th century

Curator: This is a Tall Case Clock of unknown date, created by an unidentified maker. Its imposing height—over seven feet—immediately commands attention. Editor: It's so austere, though. Dark wood, Roman numerals... evokes a sense of Victorian judgment, doesn't it? Like it’s scolding you for being late. Curator: Precisely. These clocks served not only as timekeepers, but as symbols of status and control within the domestic sphere, embodying the rigid social structures of the time. Editor: Interesting. All that patriarchal baggage hidden inside beautiful woodwork. So, the clock becomes a little tyrant in disguise. Curator: Exactly! These pieces are rarely disconnected from considerations of class and gender, so we must ask whose time was being measured and controlled, and who was left out of the equation. Editor: I will never look at a grandfather clock the same way again. Curator: Me neither. History transforms the mundane.