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Lot Essay
The history of clockmaking in China dates back to the 11th century when Su Sung (one of the Emperor's Ministers) built a 40 foot high water-powered clock (AD 1090). However mechanical horology was not understood until the late 16th century when the Jesuit priest Matteo Ricci (1552-1610) arrived in China. Father Ricci brought with him many outstanding skills including the knowledge of mechanical horology. Settling west of Canton in 1583, Ricci and his companion Father Ruggieri made a large mechanical clock that struck the hours, the first mechanical clock made in China. The two Jesuits petitioned to be introduced to the Emperor Wanli (1573-1619) and set out to meet him with two clocks as gifts. They arrived in Beijing in January 1601, and although they did not meet Wanli, the Emperor was clearly pleased with the gifts as they were given permission to establish a mission in Beijing. It is also recorded that Wanli took with him one of the clocks - a small table clock - wherever he travelled, whilst four eunuchs from the Mathematical College were appointed to learn everything about the clocks.
During the reign of Emperor Kangxi (1662-1722) an Imperial watch and clock factory was established within the Imperial Palace and other workshops started, in particular Guangzhou. During the reign of Emperor Qianlong (1736-1795) the Palace's clockmaking factory prospered but they were closed by 1820, remaining open only for servicing clocks in the Imperial palaces.
During the 18th century, many clocks and timepieces were imported into China from England. Chinese clocksmiths in Guangzhou learned most of their techniques from the British, copying from the imported clocks, and eventually succeeding in creating a large number of clocks that were both in good working order and highly decorative. Combining Western and Chinese ornamental technology, the clockmakers in the workshops reached their apogee of workmanship during the Qianlong period. In his article "The Characteristics and Status of Guangdong Handicrafts as seen from Eighteenth Century Tributes from Guangdong in the Collection of the Former Qing Palace" written for the exhibition Tributes from Guangdong to the Qing Court, Yang Boda notes that "The chime clocks of Guangzhou were always completed with all types of mechanical devices such as revolving medallions, movable sceneries and miniature fountains. Guangzhou copies of European clocks looked almost genuine. From the early to middle Qing officials in Guangdong presented a great number of imported and local clocks to the court as tribute.", p. 63. The Catalogue to this exhibition illustrates three automaton clocks, nos. 82-84.
The present clock is unique in the way the doors on the second tier opens and shuts with the mechanism, presenting three different scenes at the respective intervals. The general three-tier structure and blue baisse-taille enamel panels, however, are closely related to several other Guangdong-made clocks illustrated in Timepieces Collected by Qing Emperors in the Palace Museum, Hong Kong, 1995, p. 55 (bottom right) for a clock with automaton scenes on the lowest tier and a figure striking a bell on the top tier; p. 68; p. 69; and p. 71.
During the reign of Emperor Kangxi (1662-1722) an Imperial watch and clock factory was established within the Imperial Palace and other workshops started, in particular Guangzhou. During the reign of Emperor Qianlong (1736-1795) the Palace's clockmaking factory prospered but they were closed by 1820, remaining open only for servicing clocks in the Imperial palaces.
During the 18th century, many clocks and timepieces were imported into China from England. Chinese clocksmiths in Guangzhou learned most of their techniques from the British, copying from the imported clocks, and eventually succeeding in creating a large number of clocks that were both in good working order and highly decorative. Combining Western and Chinese ornamental technology, the clockmakers in the workshops reached their apogee of workmanship during the Qianlong period. In his article "The Characteristics and Status of Guangdong Handicrafts as seen from Eighteenth Century Tributes from Guangdong in the Collection of the Former Qing Palace" written for the exhibition Tributes from Guangdong to the Qing Court, Yang Boda notes that "The chime clocks of Guangzhou were always completed with all types of mechanical devices such as revolving medallions, movable sceneries and miniature fountains. Guangzhou copies of European clocks looked almost genuine. From the early to middle Qing officials in Guangdong presented a great number of imported and local clocks to the court as tribute.", p. 63. The Catalogue to this exhibition illustrates three automaton clocks, nos. 82-84.
The present clock is unique in the way the doors on the second tier opens and shuts with the mechanism, presenting three different scenes at the respective intervals. The general three-tier structure and blue baisse-taille enamel panels, however, are closely related to several other Guangdong-made clocks illustrated in Timepieces Collected by Qing Emperors in the Palace Museum, Hong Kong, 1995, p. 55 (bottom right) for a clock with automaton scenes on the lowest tier and a figure striking a bell on the top tier; p. 68; p. 69; and p. 71.