Drawing
circa 1770 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
A wonderful story involves this drawing by an unknown designer from the workshop of the goldsmith and clock-maker, James Cox (active in London from 1749 to 1791). It shows a bull clock on a table-shaped stand. The bull resembles the one on the Buffalo clock made about 1770 in Cox's workshop although the rock-shaped base is different. The clock is the collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing. This drawing has been tentatively attributed to Charles Magniac, a craftsman trained as a chaser.
The purpose of the drawing is likely to be a presentation drawing for the client. It combines characteristics of designs for objects intended for production, with features also found in craftsmen's and retailers' record drawings.
Fortunately, this drawing proved to be most useful in locating the table-shaped stand, and supporting sea-horses and sea-bulls for the Buffalo clock at the Palace Museum. Clock and stand were reunited and displayed together in the exhibition 'Treasures from the Forbidden City' at the Museum Speelklok in Utrecht in 2010.
The purpose of the drawing is likely to be a presentation drawing for the client. It combines characteristics of designs for objects intended for production, with features also found in craftsmen's and retailers' record drawings.
Fortunately, this drawing proved to be most useful in locating the table-shaped stand, and supporting sea-horses and sea-bulls for the Buffalo clock at the Palace Museum. Clock and stand were reunited and displayed together in the exhibition 'Treasures from the Forbidden City' at the Museum Speelklok in Utrecht in 2010.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Pencil, bodycolour and gold paint |
| Brief description | Design for a clock, possibly by Charles Magniac, circa 1770. |
| Physical description | Design for a clock resting on the back of a bull standing on a plinth which is pierced to reveal a view of a palace with a walled pool populated by swans. This is supported by carved gilt hippocamps and rests ona gilt table encrusted with rococo shellwork and standing on pierced tapering legs. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Object history | Provenance for E.3980 to 4000-1906: Bought from E Parsons, 16 March 1883. |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | A wonderful story involves this drawing by an unknown designer from the workshop of the goldsmith and clock-maker, James Cox (active in London from 1749 to 1791). It shows a bull clock on a table-shaped stand. The bull resembles the one on the Buffalo clock made about 1770 in Cox's workshop although the rock-shaped base is different. The clock is the collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing. This drawing has been tentatively attributed to Charles Magniac, a craftsman trained as a chaser. The purpose of the drawing is likely to be a presentation drawing for the client. It combines characteristics of designs for objects intended for production, with features also found in craftsmen's and retailers' record drawings. Fortunately, this drawing proved to be most useful in locating the table-shaped stand, and supporting sea-horses and sea-bulls for the Buffalo clock at the Palace Museum. Clock and stand were reunited and displayed together in the exhibition 'Treasures from the Forbidden City' at the Museum Speelklok in Utrecht in 2010. |
| Bibliographic references |
|
| Collection | |
| Accession number | E.3985-1906 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
| Record created | June 30, 2009 |
| Record URL |
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest
