Clock "love Aimed At The Bird", 1820

A Restoration period clock, circa 1820, made of mercury-gilt bronze and patinated bronze. An allegory of the power of love over time and life, it depicts a suspended cherub holding a bow, the instrument that ignites the feeling of love. Love's arrows are not aimed solely at people, but at the soul, the heart, and the will. Seeking to strike a bird, it may evoke the theme of the capture of the heart.

Set within a natural frame, the symbolic tree and landscape, the dial, outlined with a palmette border, is encased in a tree stump—a rare but significant motif. The tree plays a symbolic role in classical tradition: it represents life, the continuity of time, and untouched nature where human passions play out. The integration of the dial into the trunk reinforces the idea that time is embedded in nature, and that the action of love (love at first sight, passions, unions) belongs to the natural order of things.

The rectangular base, in patinated bronze, is elegantly adorned with a wide garland of flowers, leaves, and ribbons that structures the front, evoking abundance and refinement. The base rests on a molded gilt plinth, whose gently curved feet are embellished with finely chiseled plant motifs, lending stability, brilliance, and harmony to the whole.

Original mechanism unaltered, with a wire suspension and striking the hours and half-hours on an antique bell.


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