19th Century Painted Enamel Pocket Watch (Day and Night)

Inventory Number: PW1809031

Made in 1872 by Patek Philippe, 41mm, chased 18K gold hunter case, signed and dated on the gold cuvette. The lids with finely painted enamel allegories of Night and day after the Danish Neoclassical sculptor Albert Bertel Thorvaldsen (1770-1844). He created the pair of marble reliefs "Night" and "Day" in 1815， and then they became extremely popular as a decorative motif, the designs were reproduced throughout the 19th century.

Functions: Hours, minutes, and small seconds.

About Patek Philippe:

Patek Philippe is a Swiss luxury watch manufacturer founded in 1839 and located in Geneva. Since 1932, it has been owned by the Stern family in Switzerland. Patek Philippe is one of the oldest watch manufacturers in the world with an uninterrupted watchmaking history since its founding.

About the Sculptor and Sculptures:

(Reference from Thorvaldsens Museum in Denmark, for more information about the sculptures, please Click Here, or here )

Bertel (Albert, Alberto) Thorvaldsen was a famous Danish sculptor (19.11.1770- 24.03.1844).

The reliefs Night and Day that hang opposite each other at the Museum, are Thorvaldsen’s most popular reliefs. As opposites, they represent the two halves of a day, and together symbolize the wholeness of a day.

Day personified flies actively across the sky with her head held high. She looks over her shoulder and fixes her gaze on the small torch-bearing boy here proudly symbolizing the light and the sun.

Night personified floats passively over the sky with her neck bent. Her eyes are closed as are the eyes of the children in her embrace. Her hair is braided with poppies, with their sleep-inducing capacities, known since Antiquity. The animal of the night – an owl – flies directly and as if urging out towards us. Be quiet!