Allegory of Wisdom Clock

The present figure has often been interpreted as Cleopatra because of her graceful pose and the snake curled around her arm. However, the snake is also one of the early symbols for wisdom, and the mirror does not stand for vanity but for self-reflection, the latter of which is necessary to achieve wisdom. The knowledge of fleeting time is a part of wisdom and is represented by the integration of the clock into the sculpture. The finely cast and chased figure reclines with her arm resting on the clock. The ebony base is an effective contrast to the gilt-bronze frieze.