By Wawel Royal Castle
Aneta Giebuta, Furniture and Clocks Curator
Table Clock, the so-called Monstrance Clock ReverseWawel Royal Castle
The clock of the Toruń watchmaker Lorenz Wolbrecht, is the most valuable and the most recognisable table clock in Polish collections.
Table Clock, the so-called Monstrance Clock Table Clock, the so-called Monstrance Clock by Wolbrecht LorentzWawel Royal Castle
Due to its form, it is called a monstrance and in German-speaking countries it is also referred to as a Spiegeluhr, i.e. a mirror clock. This rare type of case is similar in shape to a monstrance, where the clock face occupies the place of glory.
The astronomical dial, in addition to the hour and minute scale, is enriched with indications of the phases of the moon, lunar calendar, sunrise and sunset, the length of the day and night, zodiac signs and the days of the month.
Table Clock, the so-called Monstrance Clock ReverseWawel Royal Castle
The master clock mechanism is equipped with a spring drive with a spindle escapement and an adjustable short rear pendulum.
The finial features an alarm clock enclosed in a box reminiscent of tower clocks.
Table Clock, the so-called Monstrance Clock Table Clock, the so-called Monstrance Clock by Wolbrecht LorentzWawel Royal Castle
The Wawel clock has clear similarities mainly to the works of Augsburg watchmakers.
The clocks of which are closest to it include that signed by Samuel Hauck from the collection of the monastery in Herzogenburg, Johann Schneider from the Science Museum in London and Caspar Langenbucher from the collection of the Herzog Anton Ulrich Museum in Brunswick.
The greatest attention is drawn to the decorative, full-plastic shaft with the shape of a mermaid or a nereid. Sources of inspiration for her should probably be sought in a small Italian Renaissance sculpture in bronze, from such centres as Venice or Padua.
Cup (1580-1600)Wawel Royal Castle
Analogies will certainly also be found among goldsmith products made around 1600 in the Nuremberg or Augsburg workshops.
Cups, the so-called Nautiluspokal, in which the bowl was made of shells, often have stems in the form of full-plastic images of kneeling nereids, tritons, dolphins or mythological figures.
It is worth mentioning that similar timepieces were found next to automatic machines and scientific instruments, such as astrolabes or sundials, in art cameras popular in the 17th century in the Scientific section. It is just such an artful interior with a monstrance clock that can be found in the excellent painting Allegory of Hearing by Jan Brueghl and Peter Paul Rubens from the Royal Collection at the Prado Museum, dated 1617–1618.
Table Clock, the so-called Monstrance Clock Table Clock, the so-called Monstrance Clock by Wolbrecht LorentzWawel Royal Castle
The earlier provenance of the clock is unknown, but in the General Inventory of Jewels, Silverware, Accessories and Various Movables from 1696, describing the Wilanów Palace, under number 128 there was an entry ‘Clock with a siren, black pedestal, on six knobs, a tower on top with a person’.
Table Clock, the so-called Monstrance Clock Table Clock, the so-called Monstrance Clock by Wolbrecht LorentzWawel Royal Castle
Is it the same as the Wawel clock? We are not sure. After all, slight differences may be the result of subsequent repairs. It is important, however, that even if it is not the same clock, it is almost identical to the one intended for Prince Jakub, as the inventory describes, and it was in the Wilanów treasury of King Jan III Sobieski.
Table Clock, the so-called Monstrance Clock Table Clock, the so-called Monstrance Clock by Wolbrecht LorentzWawel Royal Castle
The clock was acquired for the Wawel collection in 1935 from Witold Cieński from Ossowce. According to family tradition, it was either a trophy from Vienna or the Ensign (standard-bearer) of Sieradz, Marcin Cieński (d. 1715), had it with him during the campaign of 1683.
Most likely on the basis of these accounts, Jan Matejko placed this clock in the painting by Sobieski at Vienna (now in the Vatican Museum).
Table Clock, the so-called Monstrance Clock Table Clock, the so-called Monstrance Clock by Wolbrecht LorentzWawel Royal Castle
This excellent clock was presented among other souvenirs at an exhibition in the Cloth Hall in Krakow in 1883 during the celebration of the 200th anniversary of the Victory of Vienna.
Table Clock, the so-called Monstrance Clock The Planets Room, Wawel Royal CastleWawel Royal Castle
After it was purchased for the Wawel collection, it was exhibited in the 1930s in the Room under the Planets, and today it can be admired in the Kazimierzowski Room in the Crown Treasury at the Wawel.
Curator of the exhibition
Aneta Giebuta, Furniture and Clocks Curator
List of Photographs
Photography Department, Wawel Royal Castle
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