Skip to Content
Closed today, next open tomorrow. Closed today, next open tomorrow.

  • Mon 11–5
  • Tue–Wed Closed
  • Thu 11–8
  • Fri–Sun 11–5
  • The first hour of every day, 10–11 a.m., is reserved for member-only viewing.

Timepiece

A work made of gilt mahogany and white pine, painted glass, gesso, iron, steel, and brass.
CC0 Public Domain Designation

Image actions

  • A work made of gilt mahogany and white pine, painted glass, gesso, iron, steel, and brass.

Date:

1802–5

Artist:

Works by Elnathan Taber
American, 1768–1854
Roxbury, Massachusetts

About this artwork

Elnathan Taber apprenticed with a member of the Willard family clockmakers of Roxbury, who dominated the clock-making industry at the turn of the 18th century. In 1801 Simon Willard patented a timepiece that hung on the wall and featured an eight-day movement with pendulum and a weight. This wall clock is also known as a banjo clock because of its shape. The painter of the glass panels is unknown but shows an unusual sophistication and subject matter. Classically-inspired themes such as these figures with a temple in the background allude to the early American republic’s self-conscious affinity with the power and democratic values of the earlier Roman republic. The timepiece was originally owned by Edward Toppan of Boston and Newburyport.

Status

On View, Gallery 169

Department

Arts of the Americas

Artist

Elnathan Taber

Title

Timepiece

Place

Roxbury (Object made in)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

c. 1802–1805

Medium

Gilt mahogany and white pine, painted glass, gesso, iron, steel, and brass

Dimensions

H.: 109.2 cm (43 in.)

Credit Line

Purchased with funds provided by Mrs. Herbert A. Vance

Reference Number

1996.13

IIIF Manifest  The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world.

Learn more.

https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/144345/manifest.json

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

Share

Sign up for our enewsletter to receive updates.
Learn more

Image actions

Share

Suggested Terms