Schoorsteenklok van coromandelhout c. 1915 - 1925

Curator: This piece gives me the feeling of twilight—a hushed expectancy before something unknown arrives. What do you see? Editor: A dense assemblage of dark wood and metal—quite architectural, in fact! We’re looking at a mantel clock, the ‘Schoorsteenklok van coromandelhout,’ believed to have been made between 1915 and 1925. Curator: It's fascinating how van den Bosch combined Art Nouveau elegance with a sort of solid, almost stoic form. It doesn't leap off the table, does it? Instead, it roots itself, marking time with the patience of an ancient tree. Editor: Note the intricate floral carvings on the wood casing and the rather severe, geometric brass details. The coromandel wood itself presents deep grains. It creates visual depth through contrasts in both texture and hue. It reflects a tension between organic fluidity and structured design characteristic of its time. Curator: Exactly! There's a rebellion happening quietly—nature attempting to reclaim geometry. And the tick-tock isn't just marking hours, it’s reminding us how those two constantly dance, intertwine. I think it speaks to the struggle for balance and control. The little glimpse of the pendulum underneath only increases this for me, like watching a metronome in darkeness Editor: Do you mean as though Jacob Pieter van den Bosch intended for the viewer to reflect not only upon time, but upon the tension between our organic origins and an industrialized, regulated society? Curator: Well, time whispers secrets only your own heart can interpret—van den Bosch merely gave it a gorgeous, grounding voice. He knew, that if he had only kept that upper bell shape simple then there would be so much emphasis on everything else! What it makes me realize is, the question that lingers is less "what time is it?", more like: where are you rooted, as you move on, or in the coming dawn. Editor: Yes, that feels right! The clock asks of us, an accounting of balance within, as well.