Photo reblogged from My Ear-Trumpet Has Been Struck By Lightning with 87 notes
A rotating desk created for Maria Carolina, the queen of Naples and elder sister of Marie Antoinette.
Information from the Royal Palace of Naples site:
In style … it reflects the neo-classical taste, for its structural elements reproduce the architectonic orders: the small columns supporting the large central wheel are in the Doric style, while the capitals are rigorously classical. On one side of the tabletop a metal handle, also fashioned in the classical style, is attached to an automatic mechanism and used to move a two-vaned ‘mill’ connected to eight lecterns by means of adjustable brass hasps. The cogwheels have been left visible, and when in use the mechanism makes a fascinating spectacle. The eight lecterns, which may be used to support all sorts of reading material, can thus be viewed contemporaneously. The quality of the craftsmanship and materials makes this specimen of 18th century technology an item of great artistic value.
This is like the clockpunk version of having multiple browser tabs.
Source: vivelareine