Cartel Clock (Primary Title)
Jean Fol, French, master 1755 (Artist)
Jean Fol was an official clockmaker under King Louis
XVI. His design for this richly sculpted cartel clock
(designed to hang on a wall) takes the general form
of an ornate trophy. This choice provides a befitting
frame for references to the epic mythological cycle
of the labors of Hercules. After killing his wife and
children in a fit of madness, Hercules had to perform
a series of twelve arduous tasks over a ten-year period
to atone for his crimes. The first of his labors was to
slay the ferocious Nemean lion, a monster that was
difficult to kill because of its impenetrable golden fur.
Hercules bludgeons the creature to death before skinning it with its own claw so that he might wear its hide
as a protective cloak. The craftsman drapes the skin
of the Nemean lion about this clock face while the head
of Hercules appears below it, as though burdened by
the passing hours and days.
The Jordan and Thomas A. Saunders III Collection
Some object records are not complete and do not reflect VMFA's full and current knowledge. VMFA makes routine updates as records are reviewed and enhanced.
