Swiss museum displays 17th-century clock made for insomniac pope

A 17th-century papal clock at the International Museum of Horology in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Keystone-SDA

To celebrate its 50th anniversary, the International Museum of Horology in La Chaux-de-Fonds is displaying an exceptional night clock, designed in 1682 by the Italian Pietro Tommaso Campani. The timepiece was designed to meet the requirements of Pope Alexander VII.

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Silent and discreetly lit, the clock is an “emblematic figure” of Italian watchmaking, said the museum on Saturday on the occasion of its anniversary weekend. Combining technical innovation and artistic prowess, it features a painted dial attributed to the master Carlo Maratta.

This type of clock was originally created to meet the requirements of the “insomniac” Pope Alexander VII. The latter, whose pontificate lasted more than 12 years and ended in 1667, was indeed eager to consult the time at night, without being disturbed by light or noise, explains the MIH.

Collection completed

Thanks to the “invaluable” support of the friends of the International Museum of Horology and the precious metal control offices, the acquisition reinforces the collection of the museum in La Chaux-de-Fonds as the most significant in the world, notes the press release. The “surprise” was presented to mark the anniversary of the institution, inaugurated in 1974.

The clock, signed Petrus Thomas Campanus Inventor Roma 1682, embodies the “pinnacle” of horological innovation in its day. The International Museum of Horology invites all art and watchmaking enthusiasts to discover a piece, “where mechanical ingenuity combines with artistic virtuosity to create a monument to the history of watchmaking”.

+ A new wave of watchmakers respects classic Swiss designs

The press release goes on to say that the piece will also appeal to a wider public. In the heart of the Museum Park in the watchmaking metropolis of the Neuchâtel mountains, the 50th anniversary festivities take place on Saturday and Sunday, 50 years to the day after the museum’s public opening.

Translated from French by DeepL/ts

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