Bob Frishman - Founder and Owner of Bell-Time Clocks
January 10, 2017
Video recordings of meetings are available to HSNY members.
At the January meeting of the Horological Society of New York, Bob Frishman, founder and owner of Bell-Time Clocks, delivered a captivating lecture on Horology in Art. Frishman discussed the symbolism of timepieces included in famous artwork, from classical to modern. In one example, Frishman showed the 1812 portrait of Napoleon by Jacques-Louis David, which features a clock showing the time of 4:00 AM. The early morning hour was depicted to show that Napoleon was working hard at all hours of the day. In another example, Frishman showed the 1653 Velazquez portrait of Infanta Maria Theresa to explain how timepieces were included to show the wealth or sophistication of the subject.
Frishman concluded his lecture by inviting the audience to the Horology in Art symposium that he is organizing for the National Association of Watch & Clock Collectors in October at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. HSNY thanks Bob Frishman for his entertaining and educational lecture.
