Clock with vestals, c. 1790
Bronze, gilt bronze, enameled dial, marbleexpand_more
Gift of the Groves Foundationexpand_more 82.25
On View in Gallery 314expand_more
French queen Marie-Antoinette, when told that her people had no bread to eat, allegedly said, “Then let them eat cake.” The story is untrue, but she did seem out of touch with the common man. For example, she had a clock just like this in her bathroom at a time when wealthy individuals might have one clock in the whole house. The clock’s design comes from a collection of engravings by the painter Hubert Robert, who dedicated them to the young queen. The composition depicts two Vestal Virgins (followers of Vesta, goddess of the hearth) with costumes and hairstyles inspired by classical antiquity, carrying an altar with the sacred fire. The base, supported by panthers, is decorated with a frieze of playing putti and two plaques depicting Clio, muse of history, and Urania, muse of astronomy.
Explore
Audio
Details
- Title
- Clock with vestals
- Artist Life
- 1751–1843
- Role
- Designer
- Accession Number
- 82.25
- Curator Approved
This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
Does something look wrong with this image? Let us know
Zoom in on the left to the detail you'd like to save. Click 'Save detail' and wait until the image updates. Right click the image to 'save image as' or copy link, or click the image to open in a new tab.