Clock
Circle of
Benn Pitman
(American)
Date1875-1885
MediumWood, metal (probably brass)
DimensionsOverall: 24 7/8 x 7 5/8 x 13in. (63.2 x 19.4 x 33cm)
ClassificationsT&E FOR TIMEKEEPING
Credit Line75th Anniversary Acquisition. Gift of Robert Tuggle.
Object number2011.1
DescriptionHanging wall clock with decoration wooden case and metal face. Case with deeply carved side panels featuring leaves and fruit or nuts; carved lower central panel of three flowers. Fully articulated Corinthean columns flank clock face, with feaures sunflower motif in center and acorn and oak leaves at corners. Carved cove above clock face. No works; battery operated clock installed.On View
Not on viewCollections
Copyright<a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/"><img alt="Creative Commons License" style="border-width:0" src="https://i.creativecommons.org/l/by-nc/4.0/80x15.png" /></a><br />This work is licensed under a <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License</a>.
Label TextIn the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Cincinnati was famed for its woodcarvers, many of whom were women. Its location on the early Western frontier afforded the city vast nearby hardwood forests. The Aesthetic Movement, a reform initiative rooted in the teachings of Englishman John Ruskin, heavily influenced Cincinnati's art community. The city's potters and woodworkers embraced the movement's anti-industrialization ideals and shared the belief that art and labor should be united in the production of utilitarian wares, and that well-designed, hand crafted goods brought society towards spiritual and moral enrichment.
Stylistically, many objects created during the Aesthetic period rely on nature and medieval England for decorative motifs, and Cincinnati-made furnishings in particular are known for their depictions of natural forms. The clock face features a sunflower motif at center and shallow incised carving of oak leaves and acorns. Sunflowers are also depicted in the carved cove and leaves, fruits and nuts are carved into the side panels of the case.
DL
