See These Ornately Decorated 18th-Century Clocks Before Time Runs Out

An exhibition at London’s Wallace Collection is exploring the art of timekeeping by showcasing five breathtaking clocks designed by André-Charles Boulle, the famed 18th-century Parisian craftsman.

Titled “Keeping Time: Clocks by Boulle,” the show celebrates the designer’s ornate style. Boulle was a renowned cabinetmaker for France’s Louis XIV, and he operated out of a workshop in the Louvre, where he built “tables, candle stands and whatever else French royalty and nobles desired,” per the Guardian’s Jonathan Jones. During that time, he also created his elaborate clocks.

“As confections of marquetry and gilt bronze, [Boulle’s clocks] epitomize the spectacle of the French Baroque,” Alexander Collins, a curator at the Wallace Collection, tells Artnet’s Verity Babbs.

Today, high-end timepieces are ubiquitous symbols of luxury and quality. However, Enlightenment clockmakers like Boulle were pioneers in merging technical precision with artistry. The Dutch scientist Christiaan Huygens changed the game in 1656 with the invention of the pendulum. Boulle learned how to take the new technology and turn it into something beautiful.

“These clocks were at the cutting edge of 18th-century technology, combining exquisite artistry and mechanical expertise into a unique and innovative blend,” says Xavier Bray, the Wallace Collection’s director, in a statement. “Through Boulle’s clocks and the display, we hope visitors will be able to transport themselves into the world of Louis XIV.”

Boulle did not make his ornamental timepieces alone. He relied on a team of artists and craftspeople to create each clock, which were designed to signal that their owners came from wealth. Made from expensive materials, they also featured images that “incorporated motifs from antiquity and myth,” per Artnet.

Figures like Venus and Cupid make appearances in scenes that champion love and life. Meanwhile, Father Time is often depicted holding his scythe, signifying that every moment is fleeting.

“Boulle’s clocks don’t deny the existence of time,” writes the Guardian. “For all their luscious decor their faces are simple, clear, modern, telling time with a claim to real precision. But their symbols tell you not to be afraid. Love and live, they say, and forget the clock.”

Alongside Boulle’s clocks, the Wallace Collection is also showcasing Enlightenment-era artworks that explore similar themes. Nicolas Poussin’s A Dance to the Music of Time (1634-6) portrays four figures representing the four seasons moving in a circular formation, like a clock. They are dancing to the melody of Father Time, who is pictured playing a lyre. Also on display is François Anguier’s The Borghese Dancers (1642), a bronze relief featuring five women representing the Horae, mythological goddesses symbolizing time and the changing seasons.

“Keeping Time: Clocks by Boulle” is on view at the Wallace Collection in London through March 2, 2025.

Julia Binswanger | READ MORE

Julia Binswanger is a freelance arts and culture reporter based in Chicago. Her work has been featured in WBEZ, Chicago magazine, Rebellious magazine and PC magazine.