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Thomas Tompion
Thomas Tompion (1639–1713): The Father of English Clockmaking Early Life and Background: Born in Northwich, Cheshire, England, in 1639, Thomas Tompion’s early life remains somewhat obscure. He began his career as a comb maker before entering the service of Henry Harris, a London watchmaker, around 1660. This apprenticeship provided him with foundational skills in horology and marked the beginning of his ascent to becoming one of England's most celebrated clockmakers. Development and Innovations: Tompion rapidly surpassed his master and quickly established himself as an independent watch…
The Subject Atlas
A chart of Thomas Tompion's corpus mapped not by date but by subject. Spokes are what they painted; rings are when; and the threads between stars reveal the patrons and places that secretly connect them.
Spokes — Subject
Each arm of the atlas gathers works by what they depict: portraits, sacred scenes, mythologies, and the scientific studies. Click a spoke to swing that cluster to the top.
Rings — Career Period
Distance from the center marks time. The innermost ring is the earliest period; the outermost, the final years. Style matures as you move outward.
Threads — Shared Context
Coloured lines link works bound by the same patron, commission, or theme. Trace a context to watch related clusters light up across subjects.
