Michael Grigorievich Medox
(1747 - 1822)
The Englishman, a professor
of Mathematics from Oxford University, came to Russia in 1766, accepting
a special invitation of Empress - Catherine the Great, who appreciated
him highly and patronized him. He came as a tutor for a future tzar
Paul the I, but had left his name in Russian history due to the
fact that he became an outstanding Russian specialist in mechanics,
and a clockmaker, who was aware of all the achievements in the world’s
clockmaking.
Michael Grigorievich Medox was dealing with clockmaking. It is known
that pocket watches, created by him were extremely popular with
public.
Of particular interest are the clock the "Temple of Glory",
designed and made by him. It was intended for Catherine who treated
the master with great respect. Medox started the creation of the
clock in 1793 and finished it in 1806. Unfortunately the 13-years
labor did not reach the original goal, as the clock was completed
only after the Empress death. In the daily newspaper "The News
of Moscow Polytechnic Exhibition" (62, of 1 July 1872) one
of the master’s descendants - Konstantin Medox - gave the
most detailed description of of the appearance and operating of
the Medox’ clock. One more known descriptions was based on
the materials, which were left by M. G. Medox.
"The Temple of Glory"
is a big gilded bronze clock with three gilded columns, put over
a musical box. Each column is crowned by a figure of a she-eagle
that has opened its wings over a fledgling in a nest. Every 5 minutes
a pearl drops out of the eagle beak into the open fledgling beak.
There are hoisting four dark bronze figurines of women on the marble
stepped base. The statuettes personify the parts of the Earth -
Europe, Asia, Africa and America. The columns are interconnected
with rose garlands and other flowers of stamped and gilded bronze.
Between the columns there is the figure of the ancient hero Heraclus
with a cudgel. A big circle with the bright Sun depicted on it is
attached to the "wooden" stump – and the white clock
face of "The Temple of Glory". The inscription on the
clock face says - "Michael Medox, Moscow". The clock is
an incredibly complicated automatic device, based on the interaction
of the most various mechanisms, intended to show amazing scenes
and to perform music.
When the clock shows and strike three, six, nine or eleven or twelve
times, the currants start playing, then organ music is heard, after
which the curtain rises and there are in our full view the edifice
of "The Temple of Glory" and the sight of a landscape
with a waterfall, which noisily falls down from the cliffs. One
can see the pedestal where the spiral pyramid is placed, and two
swans,swimming inside the pyramid, in the center of the pedestal
is a star. Then there appear some figures lit by the glimmering
shining sky which is accompanied by the organ music. Each figure
symbolizes one of the glorious events in the times of Catherine
the Great.
_____________________________________________________
Being the outstanding work of clock art , the watch "The Temple
of Glory" is on display in the Moscow Arms Chamber.
The St.Petersburg Watch&Clock Atelier
The Centre of Watch&Clock Restoration
off. 36, Malodetskoselskiy pr.
St.Petersburg, 190013, Russia
phones: +7 (812) 703-17-56
+7 (812) 316-56-39
+7 (812) 911-02-71
mail@clockmaker.ru
|
 |
|
