Balthazar Martinot

Biography
1636 - 1714

About the artist

Like his father, Balthazar Martinot was a famous French clockmaker who worked at the court for the Queen and of the King. He became Horloger at the court of Anne of Austria, replacing his father-in-law, Pierre Belon and went on to be the Horloger for the King. Martinot was seen as one of the best and most famous clockmakers in Europe. Martinot worked at rue Galande in Paris from somewhere around 1660. He entered the highest circles of society, working for and knowing people such as Louis XIV, the Grand Dauphin and many others of high nobility and importance. He sold multiple clocks to the King of Siam in 1685 and to Constantinople. Sources indicate that he held the largest collection of clocks in Paris. His clocks were considered to be of the best quality, next to being beautiful. The cases, especially those made by Jean-Michel Ziegler and André-Charles Boulle are stunning. He went to live in Saint-Germain-en-Laye in 1710, where he lived for the rest of his life.
His clocks are still significant and can be found in some of the world’s most prominent collections, such as the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the Musée du Louvre in Paris and numerous others.

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