Clocking the Clocks Dr Laura N Young MBE recently enjoyed a visit to the Wallace Collection and captured the winding of one of the magnificent André-Charles Boulle clocks. The Wallace Collection in London’s Marylebone is a national museum housing unsurpassed masterpieces of painting, sculpture, furniture, arms, armour and porcelain. Until Saturday 2nd March 2025 you can experience the art and science of timekeeping through a free display called Keeping Time, open to the public. For the first time, the Wallace Collection brings together five clocks by André-Charles Boulle (1642–1732), the most famous cabinetmaker to have worked for the court of the Sun King, Louis XIV. These five timepieces tell the story of how Boulle took advantage of scientific discoveries to create unique clock designs in glittering baroque style, the influence of which spread across the world and centuries. The clocks were the work of many hands, involving leading artists and craftspeople from all over 18th-century Paris. Many of Boulle’s contemporaries also drew on the concept of time in their work. This theme is explored in a complementary display in the museum’s Billiard Room, which unites two magnificent artworks - The Dance to the Music of Time painting by Nicolas Poussin (1594–1665) and The Borghese Dancers in bronze by Henri Perlan (1597–1656) and François Anguier (1604–1669). You may delve into the world of baroque France and learn more about Andre-Charles Boulle’s furniture with leading specialists on the Boulle Study Day event, taking place in the museum’s theatre on Friday 31st January. Speakers will include curators and conservators from the Palace of Versailles (Lionel Arsac), the Château de Chantilly (Mathieu Deldicque) and even a furniture reconstruction wizard, Philippe Dechenaux. You’ll explore the evolution of Boulle’s iconic designs, his materials and techniques and enduring legacy. The informative study day is ticketed from just £15 for students or those wishing to attend via Zoom. Further information can be found here. The Wallace Collection is at Hertford House, Manchester Square, London, W1U 3BN and is open daily from 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM.
