Bracket Clock
- Robert Ward, British
- Born: United Kingdom
Robert Ward, Bracket Clock, 1751–75. Bronze, gilded bronze, oil pain, mahogany, and glass; 22½ × 15⅜ × 8¾ in. Gift of Patricia Phelps de Cisneros, 2018.615A-D.
Clocks like this one were status symbols among the upper class in the Americas. They were imported from Europe during the colonial period and they often appear in inventories of elite homes from the 1700s. These imported European clocks were often prominently displayed in Spanish colonial portraits, placed next to the sitter as an indicator of wealth.
While intended for daily use, this beautiful tabletop clock is nevertheless a rare and luxurious object. It is made of mahogany and cedar wood, topped with acorn finials, and stands on gilt brass feet. It was produced by Robert Ward, who was both a clockmaker and goldsmith working in London between 1751 and 1775, and exported to Caracas. That it was manufactured in England for the South American market highlights the importance of both transatlantic trade and the influence of British trade in the Spanish Colonial world.
– Jorge F. Rivas Pérez, Frederick and Jan Mayer Curator of Latin American Art, 2019
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