SELF-MOVING CLOCK "BACCHUS"
Augsburg, late 16th century
Copper alloys, steel; casting, chasing, carving, gilding
Copper alloys, steel; casting, chasing, carving, gilding
Ancient clocks sometimes contain mechanisms
that transform a simple clock into a real theatrical performance, in which various figures mounted on
a body become actors. Self-moving clocks,
very popular in the 16th and 17th centuries, belong to this type of composite work.
that transform a simple clock into a real theatrical performance, in which various figures mounted on
a body become actors. Self-moving clocks,
very popular in the 16th and 17th centuries, belong to this type of composite work.
Famous clocks with a half-figure of Bacchus from the collection of the Moscow Kremlin Museums were made in the late 16th century by the Augsburg master. They are characterised by their large size and weight, similar to many other early timepieces. They were made even heavier in the 19th century by the addition of an elephant and its handler. These two foreign parts are made in different manner of execution.
Bacchus from the Kremlin collection is shown sitting on a chariot with one horse harnessed; his image is treated with humour and is very expressive. He rolls his eyes and raises a glass to his lips; he has vines with grapes twisted into a wreath, and a nest crowning his head; a nested chicken picks the grapes from the head of the god of wine and amusement.
Behind the back of the Bacchus, there was a tower with a bell,
and a barrel surrounded by the cornucopia with numerous freshly fruits. The figure of the deity is accompanied by several servants much inferior to him in size,
two of them striking the bell.
and a barrel surrounded by the cornucopia with numerous freshly fruits. The figure of the deity is accompanied by several servants much inferior to him in size,
two of them striking the bell.
In the 1808 list, the clock with Bacchus
is described separately from the clock
with the elephant, and the cart was
"driven by a horse", Bacchus was called Silenus, and the servants were called Cupids. We don't know if the horse
was part of the composition from the beginning, because all known examples
of clocks with Bacchus made in Augsburg show a cart without animals. Thirteen figures of musicians accompanying the elephant with the Africans have also disappeared.
is described separately from the clock
with the elephant, and the cart was
"driven by a horse", Bacchus was called Silenus, and the servants were called Cupids. We don't know if the horse
was part of the composition from the beginning, because all known examples
of clocks with Bacchus made in Augsburg show a cart without animals. Thirteen figures of musicians accompanying the elephant with the Africans have also disappeared.
A number of table clocks representing Bacchus as a fat drunkard sitting on a cart without horses or on a wine barrel were created in Augsburg in the second half of the 16th century.
The chest and belly of a richly embellished figure of Bacchus
are adorned with small dials characteristic of pieces made
in the 16th and early 17th centuries. They are simply lost
in the overall composition,
which is overflowing with various decorative details.
are adorned with small dials characteristic of pieces made
in the 16th and early 17th centuries. They are simply lost
in the overall composition,
which is overflowing with various decorative details.
The sides of the wagon are decorated with cast lion heads holding rings in their teeth and relief landscapes in cartouches.
The cartouches with landscapes -
a favourite technique of the masters working in metal at the time when Mannerism and Baroque were widespread - were usually completed with characteristic
curls, combined into a general ornamental design by means of garlands, ribbons, stems, leaves
and flowers.
The cartouches with landscapes -
a favourite technique of the masters working in metal at the time when Mannerism and Baroque were widespread - were usually completed with characteristic
curls, combined into a general ornamental design by means of garlands, ribbons, stems, leaves
and flowers.
The clock in the shape of an elephant, which was added to the "Bacchus"
in the mid-19th century, used to be
a standalone piece and unfortunately has a different appearance today.
An authentic dial hasn't survived;
it was replaced by a new one –
it was probably at this time that
the two clocks were joined together, rather clumsily. In contrast to the Bacchus clock, whose carriage
on wheels is well adapted to the movement, the elephant couldn't
move on its own, which is explained
by its original function as a table clock. Due to a later modification, the moving carriage was now pushing the animal figure forward. The elephant could, however, roll its eyes.
in the mid-19th century, used to be
a standalone piece and unfortunately has a different appearance today.
An authentic dial hasn't survived;
it was replaced by a new one –
it was probably at this time that
the two clocks were joined together, rather clumsily. In contrast to the Bacchus clock, whose carriage
on wheels is well adapted to the movement, the elephant couldn't
move on its own, which is explained
by its original function as a table clock. Due to a later modification, the moving carriage was now pushing the animal figure forward. The elephant could, however, roll its eyes.
The elephant-shaped timepiece is mentioned in the List of the Armoury Chamber of 1808, but its inscription doesn't quite correspond to the
modern object: the earlier one
consisted of a pedestal made of zebrawood, traditional for old table clocks, six cast chimeras supporting
this pedestal, figures of warriors, thirteen cast gilded musicians playing trumpets, organs and kettle drums.
modern object: the earlier one
consisted of a pedestal made of zebrawood, traditional for old table clocks, six cast chimeras supporting
this pedestal, figures of warriors, thirteen cast gilded musicians playing trumpets, organs and kettle drums.
According to the List of the Armoury Chamber of 1885, the clock had already undergone significant reworking and renovation with the use of the elephant figure: "The bronze elephant in front of
the carriage, which represents the whole piece, is connected to the carriage by
two ends of a lattice, the pattern of which, only slightly harmonising with the other parts, indicates a modern origin".
As a result of these renovations, a new exhibition has been created, a ceremonial and spectacular one, but one that has lost its wholeness and uniqueness. There is
also a record of the peculiarity of the mechanism and the sound effects, which are unique to this clock: "A separate winding of the mechanism inside the elephant... rotates a circle with five figures of warriors around the bell on the tower, and in addition the sound is made when the clock is struck".
the carriage, which represents the whole piece, is connected to the carriage by
two ends of a lattice, the pattern of which, only slightly harmonising with the other parts, indicates a modern origin".
As a result of these renovations, a new exhibition has been created, a ceremonial and spectacular one, but one that has lost its wholeness and uniqueness. There is
also a record of the peculiarity of the mechanism and the sound effects, which are unique to this clock: "A separate winding of the mechanism inside the elephant... rotates a circle with five figures of warriors around the bell on the tower, and in addition the sound is made when the clock is struck".