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The Passemant astronomical clock is an
/ref> The King acquired it the same year. In January 1754, the clock took its place among the astronomical clocks of Versailles. The fact that it was placed in the ''Salon de la pendule'' demonstrates the interest that Louis XV had in the mechanical arts through clockmaking. Indeed, the room was so named because the dials of clocks were set into the wall panelling.
Astronomical clock
(sciences.chateauversailles.fr) {{DEFAULTSORT:Passemant Astronomical Clock Astronomical clocks in France Historical scientific instruments
astronomical clock
An astronomical clock, horologium, or orloj is a clock with special mechanisms and dials to display astronomical information, such as the relative positions of the Sun, Moon, zodiacal constellations, and sometimes major planets.
Definition ...
designed by Claude-Simeon Passemant in the eighteenth century. It is displayed in the ''Salon de la pendule'' in the petit appartement du roi
The ''petit appartement du roi'' () of the Palace of Versailles is a suite of rooms used by Louis XIV, Louis XV, and Louis XVI. Located on the first floor of the palace, the rooms are found in the oldest part of the palace dati ...
on the first floor of Versailles
The Palace of Versailles ( ; french: Château de Versailles ) is a former royal residence built by King Louis XIV located in Versailles, about west of Paris, France. The palace is owned by the French Republic and since 1995 has been managed, ...
, France. The clock set the official time in France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan ar ...
for the first time in the kingdom's history.
Description
The clock is an exceptionalrococo
Rococo (, also ), less commonly Roccoco or Late Baroque, is an exceptionally ornamental and theatrical style of architecture, art and decoration which combines asymmetry, scrolling curves, gilding, white and pastel colours, sculpted moulding, ...
work over in height, crowned with a moving celestial sphere. It shows the date, time, real time average phases of the moon and Copernican planetary motion. The large astronomical dials mark the rising and setting of the sun and moon every day. Earth is represented by a bronze globe on which all countries are engraved with the main cities. This globe is placed among the rocks and waterfalls, which serve as a universal horizon.
The mechanism is designed to be able to display the date until the end of the year 9999.
Creators
The clock mechanism was designed by engineer Claude-Siméon Passemant (1702–1769) and executed by the clockmaker Louis Dauthiau (1730–1809).''Versailles: absolutism and harmony'' by Jean Pierre Babelon, Claire Constans 1998 page 174 The rococo-style gilt-bronze box protecting the mechanism was made in 1753 by sculptor Jean-Jacques Caffieri (1735–1792) and bronze-founder Philippe Caffieri.History
After being reviewed and approved by theFrench Academy of Sciences
The French Academy of Sciences (French: ''Académie des sciences'') is a learned society, founded in 1666 by Louis XIV at the suggestion of Jean-Baptiste Colbert, to encourage and protect the spirit of French scientific research. It was at th ...
in August 1749, the clock was presented to Louis XV
Louis XV (15 February 1710 – 10 May 1774), known as Louis the Beloved (french: le Bien-Aimé), was King of France from 1 September 1715 until his death in 1774. He succeeded his great-grandfather Louis XIV at the age of five. Until he reached ...
in Choisy by the duc de Chaulnes
The title of Duke of Chaulnes (french: duc de Chaulnes), a French peerage, is held by the d'Albert family beginning in 1621.
History
First creation (1621–1698)
The duchy of Chaulnes was established by letters patent in January 1621 and registe ...
on 7 September 1750.''All Versailles'' by J. G. D' Hoste 1988 ASIN B0007BXHLQ page 62/ref> The King acquired it the same year. In January 1754, the clock took its place among the astronomical clocks of Versailles. The fact that it was placed in the ''Salon de la pendule'' demonstrates the interest that Louis XV had in the mechanical arts through clockmaking. Indeed, the room was so named because the dials of clocks were set into the wall panelling.
See also
*Gnomon of Saint-Sulpice
The Gnomon of Saint-Sulpice is an astronomical measurement device located in the Church of Saint-Sulpice (''Église Saint-Sulpice'') in Paris, France. It is a gnomon, a device designed to cast a shadow on the ground in order to determine the po ...
References
External links
*Astronomical clock
(sciences.chateauversailles.fr) {{DEFAULTSORT:Passemant Astronomical Clock Astronomical clocks in France Historical scientific instruments