Existing comment:
Table clock in the form of an Imperial double eagle
1680–1690
Elias I. Kreittmayr the Elder
As a powerful display piece at Forchtenstein Castle, this clock symbolized Prince Paul I Esterházy's position within the hierarchy of the Holy Roman Empire. The breast of the double-headed eagle is adorned with a clock dial encircled by the gilded collar of the Order of the Golden Fleece, the order of knighthood headed by the Habsburg emperor. The crown, the scepter and sword, and the orb above the base reflect the imperial regalia. The Esterházy princes distinguished themselves in the defense of the empire's boundaries against Ottoman invasions. |