Butterfield Sundial

1700s

Download this artwork (provided by The Cleveland Museum of Art).

Learn more about this artwork.

Details

Title: Butterfield Sundial
Date Created: 1700s
Physical Dimensions: Overall: 7.7 x 7.4 cm (3 1/16 x 2 15/16 in.)
Type: Silver
Rights: CC0
External Link: https://clevelandart.org/art/1942.490
Medium: silver
Inscriptions: [Engraved signature above the compass in ribbon band]: "N. BION A Paris", [Engraved on the face of the sundial]: “Pour 55° 4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11 50° IIII-V-VI-VII-VIII-IX-X-XI 45° 5-6-7-8-9-10-11 40° -VI-VII-VIII-IX-X-XI', [Engraved on the other side]: "Pour 55° -8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1-0 50°-VIII-VII-VI-V-IIII-III-II-I 45°-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 40°-VII-VI-V-IIII-III-II-I", [Engraved around the compass]: “NORD-OUEST-SUD-EST”, [Engraved on the back of the sundial]: “Turin 44 Milan 46 Paris 49 Lion 46 Metz 49 Rome 42 Liege 51 Naples 44 Namur 50 Gennes 44 Marseille 43 Grenoble 45 Bayonne 43 Bruxelle 51 Londres 52 Nantes 47 Vienne 48 Toulon 43 Tours 47 Lille 51”, [Engraved around the back of the compass]: “Venise 45 Strasbourg 49 Amsterdam 52 Hambourg 54 Varsovie 52 La Rochelle 46”
Department: Decorative Art and Design
Culture: France, 18th century
Credit Line: Gift of Henry W. Kent
Collection: Decorative Arts
Accession Number: 1942.490

Explore museums and play with Art Transfer, Pocket Galleries, Art Selfie, and more

Interested in Nature?

Get updates with your personalized Culture Weekly

You are all set!

Your first Culture Weekly will arrive this week.