The Artistic Appeal of a Clock

Mahogany Edwardian Mantel Clock
Purpose
My mother’s mahogany Edwardian mantel clock, which is a real antique, exhibits the artistic purpose of aesthetic communication, as described by Sporre (2014). The clock is constructed in the Edwardian style and thus communicates the aesthetic that was popular during the Edwardian Era—i.e., the first decade of the 20th century. Its rounded, elegant features and symmetrical design communicate a harmonious sense of time and its fullness. The clock hearkens back to an era when the world seemed a calmer place full of creativity, order, elegance and charm. Looking at the clock, you feel transported to a higher place: it has a transcendental quality that inspires the viewer to think not just about the time of the day but also about what time means, what life means, what beauty means, and why we are all here in the first place—at least, that is its effect on me when I look at it.
Function
The function of the artistry of the object beyond the object’s own use is to embellish the clock’s purpose. Its function, practically speaking, is to tell time. It has a door on the back that gives access to the gears which are wound by a key. Yet, there is a vital beauty about the clock: its artistic function goes beyond the practical function and heightens the experience of viewing the clock. Rather than simply presenting the time, the clock presents something of the wonder of our human nature—our dual-condition in a sense: our need to know the time that we might schedule our activities, our work, and achieve the aims of our necessity; at the same time, the clock’s beauty gives us pause from our activity and reminds us that work alone is not the purpose of life but that there is a higher plane where beauty invites us to calmly reflect on creation, on our spiritual side, and the duties we owe to our Creator who made us in His image.
Artisanship
The clock has a great deal of craftsmanship. It has raised feet that hold up the domed case of the clock, which is ornately crafted with mahogany wood and embellished with a carved garland on the front in between two carved, small columns that decorate the shelf-like dome. The clock face is protected by a glass covering and the Arabic numerals on the clock face or indicated by two metal spade-shaped hands that complement the rounded curve of the clock’s dome. The art is extraordinarily coherent and interesting because it so quickly transports the viewer to another time and place and brings all sorts of memories informed by reading and the imagination to the fore.
Communication
I would respond to Goethe’s questions by saying that this clock tells the story of us all by highlighting a particular point and style that was popular in history—a style that appealed to something decent and common in all of us: the need to reflect on our better and nobler impulses. This, I would suggest, is not just my story but everyone’s story, which is why the clock has such strong appeal.
Summary
My mother’s mahogany Edwardian mantel clock presents a side of life that is at once arresting and beautiful. It thoughtfully displays the time in a way that says, “Take your time—do not rush off. Meditate for a moment on the finer things in life.” The clock aesthetically communicates the need that all people must recognize to reflect on the transcendental beauty that so often goes unappreciated in life.
References
Sporre, D. J. (2014). Perceiving the arts. Pearson.