Watch 18th century

Editor: This is a "Watch" from the 18th century, likely crafted by someone named Debeaufré. The piece is currently housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I'm struck by the intricate detail of the silverwork around the face; it feels almost like it's trying to disguise the function of telling time, elevating it to art. What do you see in this object? Curator: It's fascinating how this watch embodies the social and cultural shifts of the 18th century. Time, newly measurable and standardized, became a valuable commodity, especially for the emerging merchant class. The watch itself becomes a symbol of status and control over one’s life. Editor: So it's not just a practical object, it's a statement? Curator: Precisely! The Baroque ornamentation, a style popular with the aristocracy, subtly appropriates aristocratic symbolism to suggest that the owner also lives in an opulent life dictated by strict, ritualized moments and events. Note how decorative art like this blurs the lines between the personal and the political. How do you feel that the decorative features serve or fail the functional attributes of this artifact? Editor: I see what you mean, it makes you consider who this watch was intended for and what values they might have held, or were expected to hold. It definitely shows that a watch was much more than something to just check the time on! Curator: Exactly, it provides insight into the performance of class identity within shifting socio-economic contexts. It is objects like these that highlight how social mobility manifests itself within the aesthetics and art of material culture. Editor: I hadn't considered how an object like a watch could tell us so much about societal shifts and individual aspirations. That gives me a whole new perspective. Curator: Indeed. By examining the social context, we gain a far deeper understanding of this timepiece and its role within history.