Further Media
As early as the second half of the 18th century, and starting in French châteaux, the mantelpiece became established as a place for clocks. Special clocks with the character of a monument were developed for this central location of a room. Making visible the technical works of the clock movement became less important. The clock had become a small sculpture at eye level. The themes changed over time. Before the French Revolution, time itself was picked as a theme: dawn, evening, youth, and transience. The Napoleonic era required heroes, gods, brave and loyal citizens. In the second decade of the 19th century, the themes became more innocuous - depictions of celebrations, lovers and goddesses of fertility increased.