Empire Clock "the Shipwreck" In Gilt Bronze Circa 1805/1810 Attribued To Jean André Reiche

The Shipwreck: Very rare large clock attibued to Jean André REICHE (bonzier à Paris) on a mythological subject dealing with the force of the wind and the danger of the sea. The movement placed on a fractured boat, is surmounted by a female figure taking refuge on a rock grabbing her child to save him from drowning The terrace evokes the foam of the sea The bas relief of the base takes up the theme by presenting Neptune God of the sea with his trident on his chariot pulled by two horses, Zephyr blows the wind and Triton son of Neptune playing the sea conch. An anchor recalling the sea and its dangers is flanked on each side of the bas-relief. The Royal Palace of Amsterdam keeps a copy in its collection. The drawing of the Shipwreck clock is kept in New York, Cooper Hewitt Museum. See “an Odyssey in pendulums”, volume 1 page 220).