Precious Time: Thomas Jefferson’s Astronomical Clock, 1812

Astronomical
Clock
1812
Thomas Voight
Mahogany, Walnut
Monticello

The third President of the United States was a scientific kind of guy and liked to be as precise about everything as possible—this included the time of day. He didn’t feel that everyone needed to be as precise as he was. For example, the clock on the outside of Monticello only has an hour hand because Jefferson didn’t think that the field workers needed to know the minutes, but that’s another issue.

Jefferson always wanted an Astronomical Clock—like King George III, darn it! In fact, he even commissioned a young clockmaker, David Rittenhouse (no relation to Ulrika) to make one for him. But, there was a little historical hiccup which prevented the swift completion of the clock—that pesky Revolutionary War.

It wasn’t until 1812 that Jefferson finally got his Astronomical Clock. This tall-case mahogany and walnut clock by Thomas Voight told the time, the lunar phase and the day of the week. It was purposely made without a striking mechanism so that it could be used in Jefferson’s bedroom without distrubing his sleep. It’s pretty, but not too exceptional. However, it seemed to please the President a great deal.

Object of the Day, Museum Edition: A Bust of Thomas Jefferson, 1789

Thomas Jefferson
Jean-Antoine Houdon
1789

In the U.S., it's been a celebratory weekend beginning with Valentine's Day and concluding with Presidents' Day which is something of a Bank Holiday.  

Since it is Presidents' Day, let's look at objects related to some U.S. presidents, beginning with this exceptional marble bust of Thomas Jefferson by French sculptor Jean-Antoine Houdon.

Houdon was considered the “Sculptor of the Enlightenment” and espoused Neoclassical ideals in his crisp, attractive work. This bust of Jefferson was created in 1789 while Jefferson was still Minister to France. Today, the bust is housed in the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.  

The terra-cotta prototype for the bust lives at Monticello. 

While we're doing Presidents' Day things today, tomorrow, we'll revisit Valentine's Day and, especially, take a look at this year's annual Valentine's Tea as this week's Treat of the Week.  You won't want to miss that!  I think Mr. Jefferson would have enjoyed it, too.

This and all related images from
The Boston Museum of Fine Arts