Table Of ContentEuropean 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
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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
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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
