European clocks IN THE J. PAUL GETTY MUSEUM EUROPEAN CLOCKS IN T HE J. PAUL GETTY M U S E UM Gillian Wilson David Harris Cohen Jean Neree Ronfort Jean-Dominique Augarde Peter Friess THE J. PAUL GETTY MUSEUM. LOS ANGELES In Memory of DAVID H A R R IS COHEN 1949"1992 Christopher Hudson, Publisher Front and back cover: Long-case Musical Clock (details). Mark Greenberg, Managing Editor German (Neuwied), circa 1786. 85.DA.116 (see no. XVIII). Cynthia Newman Bohn, Editor Frontispiece: Model for a Mantel Clock (detail). French (Paris), Kurt Hauser, Designer circa 1700—1715. 72.DB.52 (see no. III). Amy Armstrong, Production Coordinator Jack Ross, Photographer Printed in Japan Eileen Delson, Production Artist Wilsted 8c Taylor, Compositor © 1996 The J. Paul Getty Museum 17985 Pacific Coast Highway Malibu, California 90265-5799 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data J. Paul Getty Museum. European clocks in the J. Paul Getty Museum / Gillian Wilson . . . [etal.]. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-89236-254-5 1. Clocks and watches—Europe—Catalogs. 2. Clocks and watches—California—Malibu—Catalogs. 3. J. Paul Getty Museum—Catalogs. I. Wilson, Gillian, 1941- . II. Title. NK7482.M34J185 1996 681.1' i3'o9407479493—dc2o 95-254^9 CIP CONTENTS FOREWORD vii PREFACE AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ix ABBREVIATIONS xi CATALOGUE 1 BIOGRAPHIES 163 GLOSSARY OF MOVEMENT TERMS 205 INDEX 207 This page intentionally left blank FOREWORD THIS CATALOGUE appears just as we prepare to open a was every one bought on her initiative, but her knowledge new Getty Museum, whose attractions include sixteen of the makers, especially of the cases, is extensive. She has galleries for French furniture and decorative arts—a made certain that this catalogue treats both the case- kind of museum-within-a-museum in which our remark­ makers and the movements, and Jean Neree Ronfort and able collection can finally be shown in the manner it Jean-Dominique Augarde have undertaken new research deserves. Designed by Thierry Despont in collaboration into the lives of the clock-makers. with Richard Meier, these galleries and paneled rooms I am thankful for the work of all those at the Getty will incorporate clocks as a prominent feature, as they Museum and Getty Trust Publications Services who con­ were in rooms of the eighteenth century. To visitors of tributed to the making of this book, in particular the late our century, when time is mostly told by prosaic-looking David Cohen, Associate Curator of Decorative Arts. As devices, the clocks of the Baroque, Rococo, and Neoclas­ for Gillian Wilson herself, without whom there would be sical periods are a continual surprise and delight, not only neither catalogue nor collection, I am grateful for her for their beauty but especially for their ingenious fusion keen eye and mind, which are bound to impress the of the mechanical, the decorative, and the metaphorical. reader throughout the book. The new galleries are above all the achievement of Gillian Wilson, author of this book. It is fitting that she John Walsh should be the cataloguer of the Getty's clocks. Not only Director vn This page intentionally left blank PREFACE AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS THIS CATALOGUE is a revised and enlarged edition of Nina Banna typed and retyped the manuscript, which French Eighteenth-Century Clocks in the J. Paul Getty Museum, was edited by Cynthia Newman Bohn. published in 1976. It describes and discusses nineteen I would like to thank Winthrop Edey for his contri­ French clocks and two German clocks in the collection, bution to the catalogue. It was he who discovered and which were acquired between the years 1971 and 1988. deciphered many of the inscriptions on the movements The clocks range in date from approximately 1680 to and revealed the signatures of the enamelers on the backs 1798. They were acquired primarily for the superior of some of the dials. Jean Neree Ronfort and Jean- quality of their cases, and in three instances, for the qual­ Dominique Augarde contributed much invaluable infor­ ity of the larger piece of furniture in which they are set. mation on the clock cases and generously allowed me The majority of the clocks possess fine movements, and access to the photographic archives at the Centre de while the clocks are no longer kept in working order the Recherche Historique sur les Maitres Ebenistes. Henry movements are described and illustrated. A section is de­ Hawley read the manuscript and contributed a number voted to the biographies of the clock-makers and enam- of useful suggestions. elers represented in the collection, and an index of names Many other colleagues have contributed information of primary makers and previous owners is provided. to this catalogue. They include: Daniel Alcouffe, Musee The entries for six of the clocks (nos. 15-20) were du Louvre, Paris; William J. H. Andrews, the David P. written by the late David Cohen, who died in October Wheatland Curator of the Collection of Historical Scien­ 1992. The remainder were written by Gillian Wilson. The tific Instruments, Harvard University; Dr. Winfried catalogue entries for the long-case musical clock with a Baer, Schloss Charlottenburg, Berlin; Christian Baulez, movement by J.-F. Dominice (no. 5 ) and the nineteenth- Musee du Chateau de Versailles, France; Sir Geoffrey de century clock on a pedestal (no. 21) were written in collab­ Bellaigue, Surveyor of the Queen's Works of Art, Lon­ oration with Jean Neree Ronfort. don; Dr. Burkhardt Gores, Schloss Kopenick, Berlin; Peter Friess provided the text and diagrams describ­ Rosamund Griffin, James. A. de Rothschild Collection, ing the movements, and the biographies of the clock- Waddesdon Manor; Peter Hughes, Wallace Collection, makers and enamelers were written by Jean Neree London; Patrick LePerlier, Paris; the late Robert Marsh, Ronfort and Jean-Dominique Augarde, as was the intro­ Los Angeles; the late Dr. Bruno Pons, Ecole Nationale duction to this section. Bruce Hoadley identified the du Patrimoine, Paris; and Alexandre Pradere, Sothe­ various woods, while Brian Considine, Joe Godla, and by's, Paris. Gordon Hanlon of the Museum's conservation depart­ I would also like to thank the two assistant curators of ment provided information on matters of condition and the department of decorative arts, Charissa Bremer construction. David and Jeffrey Weaver, for their help and assistance. The photographs were taken by Jack Ross and the Above all, I am indebted to Theodore Dell, who read book was designed by Kurt Hauser. With great patience the final manuscript in great detail, correcting many IX