Watch

Art Historical Context

The case of this watch presents a richly engraved spherical surface, with a central oval medallion showing two nude figures seated together in an intimate pose. Ornate scrollwork, pierced geometric patterns, and small motifs including a bird and a mask-like face surround the medallion, all worked in low relief across the metal. A hinged lid and suspension ring complete the compact form, designed to be carried or displayed. Created in the Netherlands around 1770 by Abel Durade, the watch reflects the refined Dutch tradition of horology during the eighteenth century. Its combination of silver and enamel, together with the detailed figural and decorative engraving, demonstrates the period’s emphasis on merging precise timekeeping with miniature artistry. Now in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the piece was given by J. Pierpont Morgan in 1917.