Watch 1615 - 1625

Curator: This intricately engraved piece is a watch, crafted from metal between 1615 and 1625 by Johan Bock. It resides here at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Editor: It's stunning, isn't it? The density of the engraving creates such a captivating visual texture on what appears to be a relatively small object. Curator: Absolutely. Observe the overall ovoid form, disrupted only by the upper ring, with detailed figuration covering nearly its entire surface, exhibiting both balance and symmetry in its organization. Editor: I’m immediately drawn to the biblical scene depicted—Esther before Ahasuerus, as referenced in the inscription below. The image evokes a profound sense of humility and pleading before power, reflecting perhaps, the owner's own religious sentiments or even their anxieties about power dynamics. Curator: Precisely. Note how the artist used relief and engraving to create areas of high contrast which draw the eye around the entire surface of the piece. Editor: These recurring vegetal patterns woven throughout give a sense of fertility and continuity to the moment—reminding the viewer that no matter how precarious things seem, cycles continue, empires rise and fall, and life perseveres. And underneath the depiction, a face with wings seems to signal toward a protective presence overseeing this historical vignette. Curator: Considering the date, its decorative artistry echoes mannerist aesthetics, while the metallic medium, carefully wrought and meticulously engraved, allows for this dense layering of symbol and pattern. The execution is simply astounding given its dimensions. Editor: It's more than just a timepiece. It is a tiny vessel filled with symbolic content that carries a message through generations; an emblem that speaks to both faith and mortal worries. Curator: Looking at it, one gains a deep appreciation for the ways structure, form and even materiality intersect. Editor: And for the enduring human impulse to translate abstract feelings into concrete images, finding reassurance in archetypes and age-old stories.