This magnificent Kappauer-style wall clock – Kappauer literally meaning “clock head” in Luxembourgish – was acquired in 2000 thanks to the support of the Friends of the Museums and Banque Générale du Luxembourg. It is one of the most prominent of the museum’s clocks. The clockwork is signed by Cornelius Brembt, a clockmaker from the Pays de Clèves who was granted burgher rights in Luxembourg City in 1762. The clock casing was finely carved by cabinet-maker Barthélémy Namur (1729-1779), also from Luxembourg City. Namur’s style is recognizable at a glance if we compare this casing with another he signed and dated, especially the cornice, which exhibits characteristics of both Régence and Rococo styles. The persistence of Régence elements in the cornice probably reflects resistance to the new Rococo style among small-time Luxembourg buyers. The “luxury” sought in these circles had to have a useful function likely to improve the conditions of human life. It should definitely avoid being too conspicuous, in keeping with the definition of luxury in Diderot’s Encyclopaedia: “It is the use we make of wealth and industry in order to achieve a pleasant existence.”

Text | CC BY-NC | Régis Moes