Pendules met helm en putti 1771

Jean Charles Delafosse created this print, "Pendules met helm en putti," during the late 18th century. It gives us a glimpse into the decorative arts of the period, reflecting both the opulence and the cultural values of the French elite on the eve of their revolution. Delafosse's drawing presents two clock designs, each a composition of classical and playful elements. The juxtaposition of the helmet, a symbol of military power, with putti, those cherubic figures associated with innocence and love, speaks volumes about the complex relationship between power, masculinity, and domestic life in 18th-century France. These designs catered to a society where war and empire-building were central to national identity, yet the intimacy of home life was also increasingly valued. Consider the role of time in this era, as measured and displayed by these clocks. Time was not merely functional; it was a symbol of status, control, and the ordered world that the aristocracy sought to create and maintain, even as the winds of change were beginning to blow.