Object Description
This ormolu (gilt bronze) mantel clock is a stunning piece of design, which features beautiful Neoclassical style low-relief decorations and three-dimensional sculptures.
The clock takes the form of a tall rectangular case with a circular white enamel dial near its top. This dial features black Roman Numerals and the maker’s signature, ‘Robin/ à Paris’. The dial is displayed behind a glass lens within a foliate bezel. The case is decorated in its upper corners with rosettes, and in the lower section with a stylised depiction of a swan. The case is topped by a sculpture of a wreath, propped up on a roll of paper or parchment. To the left of the case, there is a full-length statue of a man who wears a classical robe and holds a mirror. A lyre leans against the right side of the case.
The clock is set on a wide rectangular base which is decorated with a low-relief scene taken from the classical myth of Dido and Aeneas. This scene is set within a frame, composed of stylised palmettes and rosettes. The base is set on four scrolled feet, featuring leafy scrolled motifs enclosing rosettes.