Object Description
This wonderfully ornate gilt bronze mantel clock is covered with fine sculptural decoration, including female busts, architectural motifs and stylised foliage. With its wealth of classical ornamentation, this clock is clearly inspired by French decorative arts of the Louis XV period (1710-1774).
The clock features a rectangular body, with cantered corners, a pointed base and an arched top. This is surmounted by a foliate mount and a winged bust of Psyche, the lover of Cupid (or Eros) in classical mythology. The bust is draped with flower garlands, and accompanied by four pointed and gadrooned finials. The body is mounted with a circular gilt bronze dial, with white enamel plaques featuring black Roman Numerals. This is contained behind a glass lens with a guilloche gilt bronze bezel. The clockâs lower body is veneered in green malachite, overlaid with scrolling gilt bronze vines, and it terminates in a fruiting foliate motif. The body is supported on four legs, cast as winged espagnolette (female bust) sculptures with leafy scrolled feet. These stand on a shaped rectangular base, which is decorated with a Vitruvian scroll (wave) pattern and a central foliate mount. The base is set on four toupie feet.