Table clock with calendar 1881

Editor: Here we have Lucien Falize's "Table Clock with Calendar," crafted in 1881 out of various metals. It strikes me as more than just a timepiece; it feels almost like a miniature cathedral. What layers of symbolism do you observe within this ornate piece? Curator: Indeed. The clock’s architectural form immediately calls to mind the Gothic cathedrals of Europe. Consider how cathedrals themselves were meant to represent a sacred, ordered cosmos. Clocks, similarly, were designed to impose order, to divide and master time. This clock brings the sacred and the temporal together, doesn’t it? Editor: Yes, I see the connection. The figures – what about their placement? The classical figure at the top juxtaposed to the Gothic frame? Curator: Exactly! The figure at the pinnacle, often representing an allegorical figure of time or perhaps even victory, holds a symbolic flame, a beacon. The lower figures remind me of medieval devotional images of prophets or kings, flanking biblical images. The choice of golden figures and a shining silver frame speak of divinity. How might this juxtaposition – classical triumph with the trappings of Gothic piety – reflect the cultural anxieties or aspirations of the late 19th century? Editor: I hadn’t considered the anxieties. It is almost as if the maker was wrestling with a past and future at once. The images depict cultural memory, of sorts, combined with industrial innovations. Curator: Precisely! Falize masterfully combined various artistic styles and symbolisms to reflect his own era, using traditional images. We learn about him, his aspirations and society's at large, through his particular arrangement. Editor: It’s incredible to see how one object can be so layered with meaning, a testament to time, faith, and craftsmanship. I never would have considered so many images within images before. Curator: And hopefully this approach inspires you to see further symbolic connections. Art is a mirror to culture, and it reflects us all.