Copper plaque with painted ground by Jacopo Amigoni showing the Muses in an arcade with a gilt bronze relief after Michael Rysbrack showing Apollo with Time and Music in the foreground

Rectangular plaque with semicircular top; cast gilded bronze relief depicting Apollo with personifications of Time and Music in an architectural setting with probably near contemporary curtain in dial embrasure; mounted on a copper plaque painted in oil with the Nine Muses seated on clouds above a garden colonnade; element of an unfinished musical clock. The organ mechanism was activated by the Apollo figure strumming his lyre and Eutrepe, the muse representing music, wing her violin (her bow is broken). Eutrepe holds her bow in a position that meets the style of the Baroque. The plaque is likely to originate from a completed clock that was broken up into its component parts.

Acquired with the Hugh Phillips Bequest and support from Alan Rubin and the American Friends of the V&A through the generosity of the Cahn Family Foundation

The plaque may be identified as one of the components of a musical clock known as 'The Temple of Apollo' planned by Charles Clay. Clay died in 1740 leaving the clock unfinished. The parts were exhibited by his widow in his London home.

Historical significance: Charles Clay was a machine watch maker who, according to his will dated 18 January 1739, came originally from Emley, near Huddersfield, West Riding, Yorkshire. In February 1716 he petitioned Parliament for a patent for a repeating and musical watch. The patent was disputed by Daniel Quare and although the Attorney General reported in favour of Mr Clay, the Clockmakers' Company defended their distinguished former Master, Quare. The case was fought for over a year and the patent was finally not granted. Clay took a shop south of St Mary-Le Strand, London, in 1720 and by 1723 was appointed Clockmaker to His Majesty's Board of Works, a position he held until at least 1737.

The London Evening Post recorded in March 1737 'Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales has this Week been graciously pleas'd to order Fifty Pounds to be paid to Mr. Charles Clay, for Shares in the Sale of his Musical Clock; and we hear the Property in the said beautiful Machine will be speedily determin'd, the greatest Part of his Numbers being now displos'd of'. Mr Clay's appearance at the Royal Court was reported in The Weekly Journal for 8 May 1737.

Clay's musical clocks played tunes by contemporary composers including Geminiani, Handel and Corelli, which, according to one advertisement ' were adapted to the Machine by Mr.Geminiani'; the music was of a higher quality than that supplied by most 18th century makers. Francesco Geminiani (1667-1762) was a pupil of Corelli who brought to England virtuoso Italian violin playing. Handel wrote music specifically for Charles Clay's musical clocks and the Royal Music Manuscripts in the British Library include eleven 'Tunes for Clays Musical Clock' consisting of six original compositions and five arias from Handel's operas Ottone, Sosarme and Arianna set in the keys of F or C major. Arianna was first produced in 1734, but some of these pieces may predate that opera.

A similar plaque to that acquired by the V&A is made in silver and adorns a musical clock which is signed and dated 'Charles Clay London 1730' now in the Palazzo Reale (Royal Palace) in Naples, Italy. Other clocks by Clay include, at Kensington Palace, London, 'The Temple of the Four Grand Monarchies of the World (viz. The Assyrian, the Persian, the Grecian, and the Roman) Which were founded by Ninus, Cyrus the Great, Alexander the Great and Augustus Caesar', and another at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. The Kensington clock was finished by George Pyke, a clock and watchmaker in Bedford Row. The Birmingham clock is embellished with an almost identical plaque to that now in the V&A.

Clay's obituary appeared in The Gentleman's Magazine, Vol. X, 1740 'Feb.25. The ingenious Mr.Clay, Maker of several Musical Clocks. Three Days before he dy'd he order'd a Musical Machine, which has cost him about 20 Years Time, and upwards of 2000 l. to bring to Perfection, to be beat to Pieces, and entirely destroy'd, to prevent further Expence of the Time and Money of any one who should attempt to finish it after his Death.'

Although Edward Croft Murray identified the figures on the plaques of the Birmingham and Naples clocks as representing Apollo, Time and Orpheus, Annalisa Porzio and Massimo Di Sandro have recently suggested that the 'Apollo' figure represents Epic Music and the female 'Orpheus' figure represents Lyric Music. The figure of Time is leaning on his scythe, overcome by the power of music.

The associated clock was advertised in the Daily Gazeteer (London Edition) on Friday 20 November 1741 (issue 2005) by 'The Widow of the late Ingenious Mr. CHARLES CLAY'. Mrs Clay 'reserved the most Curious and Valuable of all the Pieces of Clock-Work which her late Husband left behind him, and which with his own Hands he had brought so near Perfection, that he called it, from the Figure of that Deity standing within the Fabrick, 'The TEMPLE and ORACLE of APOLLO.'

This Machine, for the Perfection of the Musick, the Elegancy of the Structure, and the Richness of the Materials, far surpasses any Thing of the Kind exhibited either by Mr.CLAY in his Life-time or any other; and which the Widow believes the Curious, who shall do her the Honour to see and consider it, will readily allow.

'Tis utterly impossible to describe this beautiful Piece of Mechanism in the Compass of an Advertisment. The solid Parts of the Fabrick are of Silver gilt: the Pillars, as also the Doors and other Lights into it, are made of Rock-Chrystal, curiously engraved and adorned with Silver Mouldings, Capitals, and Roses. It is embellished with a great Number of solid Silver Figures both within and without; most of which are gilt; and the whole is covered with a most curious Foliage of Enamel'd Work, pierced and embossed in so beautiful a Style and Manner, as renders it exceeding difficult to convey to the Apprehension any just Idea of it, nor is it to be had otherwise than by viewing the Piece of Work itself.

Mrs Clay therefore humbly hopes, that Gentlemen and Ladies, Encouragers of Art and exquisite Workmanship, will not think Half a Crown ill-bestowed for the Sight of so extraordinary a Performance, and the Hearing of such excellent Musick; the Whole exceeding, by many Degrees, any Thing ever exhibited to Publick View in any Nation, or by any Artist whatsoever.

It is to be seen from Ten in the Morning until Nine at Night, up One Pair of Stairs at Mr.Clay's late Dwelling House, opposite to the New Church in the Strand, London.'

The advertisement was repeated in August 1743.

The Temple of Apollo has been identified with a clock acquired by the British Royal Family which was published by Hugh Roberts in Country Life 23 November 1995, pp.58-59. following its restoration by Dominic Gwynn. Gwynn wrote an account of the clock in the British Institute of Organ Studies Reporter, January 1997, Volume XXI, no.2. The clock is now on display in the State Apartments, Windsor Castle. It incorporates an enamelled silver-mounted rock crystal casket signed by Melchior Baumgartner, Augsburg, and dated 1664.

A painted and cast bronze relief with figures of Apollo, Chronos and Music by John Michael Rysbrack and a ground painted by Jacopo Amigoni with figures of the nine muses. The plaque made be association with the Temple of Apollo, a musical organ clock planned and produced by the London-based clockmaker Charles Clay, but unfinished at the time of his death. The Temple of Apollo is now displayed in the State Apartments, Windsor Castle.

M.29-2009