French Louis XIV "religieuse" Wall Clock , Nicolas Clement In Paris Circa 1675

Rare Louis XIV religieuse clock signed by Nicolas Clément French around 1675.

The case of a great level of execution is covered in front by a marquetry of Boulle type with three colors as tin, brass, all on a background of red colored turtle shell. The design is symmetric  as characteristic of King Louis XIV designer Berain and is presenting themes of birds, vines pampres, carved leaves and calyx on the fronton part with an ebony wood corners.

To note in the lower front part, a richly decorated "campane" design  directly inspired by the lambrequins designs  painted on the frescoes of the Palestre d'Herculanum at Pompei. 

Below the dial is a gilt bronze figure of Time seated and supporting the dial with his raised arms.To his right is an hour glass and an overturned urn spilling coins, to his left a profusion of object to the glory of liberal arts live music and geography. The plinth on which Time sits is inscribed with the name of the clock maker Nicolas CLÉMENT à Paris (jury in 1658). This is to be compared to an identical bronze on French Long case clock with mouvement by Antoine Gaudron  with case attributed to Andre Charles Boulle.

The 18.5 cms wide  brass dial is covered with black velvet typical of the period and finely chiseled with hours indication in roman numerals and minutes all filled with black wax.  The so-called "percil " hands are original and finely chiseled and decorated. (Repair on the minute hand).

The original movement is with independent barrels for the hour train and stricking train as French clock makers dropped the tandem single barrel around 1670 and was then generalized by 1675.
The brass plates are connected by  five pillars. The escapement was modified in XIXe C  and works well  with a heavy pendulum that allows accurate running.
To note the small hours counting  wheel in the upper right corner with a finely chiseled fixed steel hand that indicates the number of strokes to sound...interesting hand option that disappeared later in the end of XVIIth century. 

The clock ringing mecanism has kept its original cut-out steel release mecanism. 
 
Exceptional engraving of the signature of the clockmaker Nicolas CLÉMENT in Paris jury of the corporation in 1658.

Book references:
- TARDY Dictionary of French Watchmakers page 131
-The French clock Pierre KJELLBERG, page 64, depicting a LOUIS XIV clock precision regulator made of ebony, red turtle shell , and tin on a copper background. 
- European Clock  in the JP GETTY MUSEUM  1996  page 2 Long Case Clock attributed to AC Boulle movement by Gaudron. 
- Huygens legacy - Golden age of Pendulum clocks - page 119- Boulle case religieuse c1675 by Charles Sarrabat