The planning involved in the Science Museum’s ‘Versailles: Science and Splendour’ exhibition, which looks at the evolution of science at the Palace of Versailles through the reigns of Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis XVI through over 100 objects of which one is Abraham-Louis Breguet’s pocket watch No. 160 Grande Complication aka the ‘Marie Antoinette’, will have taken a long time. Even though it is a significant cultural institution, the Wallace Collection in London is a smaller place and requires less forward planning for small exhibitions, especially if they involve existing holdings.

It’s Louis time at the Wallace as well, with five clocks in the Wallace Collection built during the reign of Louis XIV (aka the Sun King) being brought together into a single room for the first time in a display linked to an international conference on André-Charles Boulle (1642–1732) which will be held at the Wallace Collection early next year. You can easily cover both Versailles-themed horological displays in London in a day.

Even those who don’t know Boulle by name will recognise the ornate style for which he is famed – if not for his work, then for designs heavily inspired by his baroque style and marquetry work. The most famous cabinetmaker in French history, he was responsible for the combination of tortoiseshell inlay, brass and marquetry woodwork whose extravagance and detailing him Louis XIV’s favourite cabinetmaker. If you want to read more about Boulle at Versailles, including a short film that covers restoration, go to this link.

The five clocks on display together at the Wallace Collection are of varying sizes and levels of complexity of craftsmanship.

Four of the clocks are free-standing mantle clocks and were paired with tall cabinets, two of which survive. The largest clock (top photo) forms part of a wardrobe which itself is of note, as it contains secret compartments in which to hide valuables. The clock itself is operated but by pulling on a chain within the case.

Taking advance of the Wallace’s other collections, there is also a complementary display alongside the Boulle one in the Billiard Room on the same time theme – ‘The Dance to the Music of Time’ by Nicolas Poussin (1594–1665) and ‘The Borghese Dancers’ by Henri Perlan (1597–1656) and François Anguier (1604–1669).

‘Keeping Time: Clocks by Boulle’ is in the Housekeeper’s Room at the Wallace Collection until 2 March 2025 and is free to visit. The Wallace Collection is open daily from 1000 to 1700.

As a part of this display, you can actually book a place to watch the clocks being wound. There are only three such sessions and one has just taken place, but the other two will be held on 31 January and 28 February 2025 at 1300 and last for half an hour. Will Flawn, Collection Care Assistant, and Alexander Collins, Curator of Decorative Arts, will wind clocks around the Wallace, and talk about the clocks in the display within the context of the history of horology at the time. You will need to reserve a place on the day. For further information, go to this link. They have done short videos about clock winding on social media in the past, from memory around daylight saving change times.

[Photo credit: Wallace Collection]

Categories: Clocks, Ephemera, London