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Astronomical table clock
second quarter 17th century
German, Augsburg
With its various dials illustrating calendrical and astronomical data, this highly complicated clock reflected the outstanding education of its noble owner. A ruler's possession of precise technology, used to tell the time and trace the constellations, underlined his divine right to govern his subjects. Princely scenes of hunting -- within the openwork of the dome -- and the allegorical figures that weave around the case are as elegant as the intricate technological marvel within. |