The Clocks of Bartolomeo Antonio Bertolla 



The ingenuity displayed in the Borghesi clock b) 

 its constructor, Bartolomeo Antonio Bertolla, requires 



a consideration of the other examples of his work that 

 have survived. 1 he most important of his clocks are 

 probably the one in the Episcopal Palace at I'reni 

 and another made for the Baron of Cles. 



The one which survives in the Episcopal Palai i I 

 the present time, is extremely tall and is housed in an 

 elaborately decorated narrow case of black or ebonized 

 wood approximately l ) to 10 feet in height. The upper 

 part ol the case is decorated with elaborately carved 

 and gilt rococo motifs. The movement operates for 

 one year at a winding, indicates and strikes the hours, 

 and shows the lunar phases. It has an alarm, and 

 will repeat the strike at will, indicating the number of 

 the past hour and the quarters. The '^ih brass dial 

 is decorated with silver-foliated scrollwork in relief 

 at the corners, inside the chapter ring, and within 

 the broken arch. Featured above the chapter ring 

 is the coat of arms, executed in silver, of the patron 

 for whom the clock was made, Cristoforo Sizzo di 

 Xoris. Di Noris was Bishop of Trent for 13 years, 

 from 1763 to 1776. 



rhe clock which Bertolla made lor the Baron ol ( lies 

 is .i tall, narrow, case clock of ebony or ebonized 

 pearwood which is approximately ,,: feet in height. 



rhe decoration of the case is considerably more 

 conservative than the one made for Di Xoris, but the 

 black wood is decorated with silver trim and ( irved 

 designs in the wood itself. The dial is decorated with 

 silver scrollwork and spandrels within and around a 

 raised chapter ring. The clock operates for one 

 month at each winding, has .in alarm, indicates and 

 strikes the hours, and will repeal the quarters. I 

 handsome timepiece is still in the possession of the 

 descendants of the Baron of Cles. 



According to Pippa, 1 '-' certain characteristics 

 become apparent in a study of the sur\ iving clocks by 



Pippa, op. i it. (footnote ill. pp. 



I \i i -i vsi . 1 i ii k i'\ Hi i< roi i \ in the Episco- 

 pal Palace in Trent, made for Bishop Cristoforo sizzo di 

 Moris. A striking and repeating clock with lunar phases. 



naie della Scimza e delta 

 Milan.) 



PAPER 35: THE BORGIll si ASTRONOMICAL CLOCK 



59 



