Watch
Lépine was appointed clockmaker (Horloger du Roy) to Louis XV (1710–1774) probably about the end of 1765 or the beginning of 1766, and he included the appointment in his signature until about 1790 or 1792, when revolutionary activity in France made a mention of the monarch impolitic, if not dangerous. In the period leading up to the Revolution, his watches became famous for their slim elegance
and increasingly inventive technology. The Museum’s watch is a simpler product of the 1760s, displaying Lépine’s effort to decrease the space between the plates of the movement while still allowing room for the verge escapement.
and increasingly inventive technology. The Museum’s watch is a simpler product of the 1760s, displaying Lépine’s effort to decrease the space between the plates of the movement while still allowing room for the verge escapement.
Artwork Details
- Title: Watch
- Maker: Watchmaker: Jean Antoine Lépine (French, 1720–1814)
- Date: ca. 1766
- Culture: French, Paris
- Medium: Case: gold, partly enameled and set with diamonds; Dial: enamel
- Dimensions: Diameter: 1 5/8 in. (4.1 cm)
- Classification: Horology
- Credit Line: Gift of Joseph W. Drexel, 1889
- Object Number: 89.2.69
- Curatorial Department: European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
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Jean Antoine Lépine
late 18th century
Jean Antoine Lépine
last quarter 18th century
Jean Antoine Lépine
second half 18th century
Jean Godde l'aîné
Charles Cressent
ca. 1740–45
Multiple artists/makers
ca. 1768–70
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