French Louis XVI Portico Clock by Unknown artist
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French Louis XVI Portico Clock 1779 - 1781

Unknown artist

MarbleStoneBronzeMetalEnamel
63 ⨯ 48 ⨯ 17 cm
Currently unavailable via Gallerease

  • About the artwork
    On eight gilt bronze feet a moulded white marble plinth decorated with ormolu rosettes, panels and beaded bands. On the left and right on a slightly higher level and surrounded by ormolu posts, two high black marble bases support two inverted white marble fasces topped by ormolu armillary spheres. Between these bases a seated ormolu lion looks upwards towards the clock above. The clock is suspended from both the black marble bases as from the fasces. On top of the clock, on his own black marble base, an ormolu statuette of the Roman god Mars.

    On the clock the white enamel dial shows three rings: the inner one with Arabic numerals for the date, the middle ring with Roman numerals for the hours and the outer ring indicates the minutes. Two pierced gilt brass hands for the hours and minutes and one steel pointer for the dates. The movement with anchor escapement and a duration of eight days. The pendulum disk in the form of an Apollo mask surrounded by the rays of the sun.

    The ormolu decorations on the black marble bases consist of war trophies with scaled shields, quivers with arrows, halberds and flags, the whole topped by palm leaves as a symbol of victory. The very unusual inverted fasces are, even more unusual, topped by armillary spheres and moreover flank Mars, the god of war.

    If this clock tells us something, it might be this: After the victories of war (trophies and palm leaves), man should bury his arms (inverted fasces) and concentrate on science and arts (the spheres).
    After all, this clock was made in the age of reason when the purpose was to advance knowledge by scientific methods. Astronomy was one of the seven liberal arts (sciences) of the Renaisssance and astronomical discoveries concerning the moon, earth and sun were made around 1740-1770. These discoveries were being published by the French Académie des Sciences during the second half of the century.

    The white enamel dial unsigned, but marked “à Paris”.
  • About the artist

    It might happen that an artist or maker is unknown.

    Some works are not to be determined by whom it is made or it is made by (a group of) craftsmen. Examples are statues from the Ancient Time, furniture, mirroirs, or signatures that are not clear or readible but as well some works are not signed at all.

    As well you can find the following description:

    •“Attributed to ….” In their opinion probably a work by the artist, at least in part

    •“Studio of ….” or “Workshop of” In their opinion a work executed in the studio or workshop of the artist, possibly under his supervision

    •“Circle of ….” In their opinion a work of the period of the artist showing his influence, closely associated with the artist but not necessarily his pupil

    •“Style of ….” or “Follower of ….” In their opinion a work executed in the artist’s style but not necessarily by a pupil; may be contemporary or nearly contemporary

    •“Manner of ….” In their opinion a work in the style of the artist but of a later date

    •“After ….” In their opinion a copy (of any date) of a work of the artist

    •“Signed…”, “Dated….” or “Inscribed” In their opinion the work has been signed/dated/inscribed by the artist. The addition of a question mark indicates an element of doubt

    •"With signature ….”, “With date ….”, “With inscription….” or “Bears signature/date/inscription” in their opinion the signature/ date/ inscription has been added by someone other than the artist