See these ornately decorated 18th-century clocks before time runs out

An exhibition at the Wallace Collection in London explores the art of timekeeping by presenting five breathtaking clocks designed by André-Charles Boullethe famous 18th century Parisian craftsman.

Titled “Keeping time: Boulle clocks”, the show celebrates the designer’s graceful style. Boulle was a renowned furniture maker for France Louis XIVand he operated from a workshop in the Louvre, where he built “tables, candlesticks and whatever the French royal family and nobles desired,” according to legend. Guardianby Jonathan Jones. During that time he also created his elaborate clocks.

“Like delicacies of marquetry and gilt bronze, [Boulle’s clocks] embody the spectacle of the French Baroque,” ​​says Alexander Collins, curator at the Wallace Collection Artnet‘s Verity Babbs.

Today, high-end timepieces are ubiquitous symbols of luxury and quality. However, Enlightenment clockmakers such as Boulle were pioneers in combining technical precision with artistry. The Dutch scientist Christiaan Huygens changed the game in 1656 with the invention of the pendulum. Boulle learned how to turn the new technology 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,” said Xavier Bray, director of the Wallace Collection, in a statement. “Through Boulle’s bells and the exhibition, we hope that visitors can imagine themselves in the world of Louis XIV.”

Boulle did not make his ornamental timepieces alone. He relied on a team of artists and craftsmen to create each clock, which was designed to signify that their owners came from wealth. They were made of expensive materials and also contained images that “incorporated motifs from ancient times and myths,” according to Artnet.

Figures such as Venus and Cupid appear in scenes defending love and life. Meanwhile, Father Time is often depicted with his scythe in hand, indicating that every moment is fleeting.

“Boulle’s clocks do not deny the existence of time,” writes the Guardian. “For all their opulent decor, their faces are simple, clear, modern and tell the 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.”

In addition to Boulle’s clocks, the Wallace Collection also features Enlightenment-era artworks that explore similar themes. Nicholas Poussin‘S A dance to the music of time (1634-6) shows four figures representing the four seasons moving in a circular formation, like a clock. They dance to the tune of Father Time, who is playing a lyre in the photo. Can also be seen François Anguier‘S The Borghese dancers (1642), a bronze relief with five women carrying the Horamythological goddesses that symbolize time and the changing seasons.

“Keeping time: Boulle clocks” is on display at the Wallace Collection in London until March 2, 2025.