Strongbox with clockwork
Medium
Iron, steel, copper, brass, partially silvered and gilded; glass, red silk velvet
Dimensions
confirmed: 21 1/2 × 22 5/8 × 13 7/8 in., 110 lb. (54.6 × 57.5 × 35.2 cm, 49.9 kg)
Classification
Metalwork-Brass|Metalwork-Iron
Culture
German, Berlin
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Acquisitions Fund, 2022.
Accession Number
2022.366a–d
Rights
Public Domain
Art Historical Context
Step into the opulent world of 18th-century Berlin with *Strongbox with Clockwork a masterful collaboration between locksmiths Alexander Fromery and Christian Ludwig von dercht, crafted around 1750. This German strongbox, weighing a hefty 110 pounds and over two feet wide, served as both a secure repository for valuables and a showcase of mechanical ingenuity. Its clockwork mechanism hints at innovative time-based locking systems, blending practicality with the era's fascination for intricate automata under Frederick the Great's patronage. Forged from iron, steel, copper, and brass, the strongbox gleams with partial silvering and gilding, evoking the lavish Rococo style prevalent in Prussian decorative arts. Transparent glass panels reveal the inner workings, while the plush red silk velvet lining adds a touch of aristocratic luxury. These materials and techniques highlight the exceptional metalworking skills of Berlin's guilds, where functionality met ornamental splendor. Acquired by The Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2022, this rare survivor underscores the cultural prestige of German craftsmanship during the Enlightenment. It invites visitors to marvel at how everyday security evolved into high art, protecting treasures while dazzling the eye.
About the Artist
Alexander Fromery|Christian Ludwig von der Fecht (German|German) · 1695 |1710 –1775 |1753
German, 1695–1775|German, 1710–1753