A. Beurdeley And Fd. Berthoud - Important Complication Clock - Cupid - Date

Important and remarkable finely chased and gilt bronze clock. Complication movement signed Ferdinand Berthoud, Paris, circa 1870. Case attributed to Alfred Beurdeley. This important and remarkable finely chased and gilt bronze clock, made around 1870, brilliantly illustrates the revival of Louis XVI style during the Second Empire. This piece combines two exceptional elements: a complication movement signed Ferdinand Berthoud in Paris, and a case of exceptional sculptural quality, attributed to Alfred Beurdeley. The composition depicts a winged Cupid of unusual size, rendered with great anatomical mastery and refined expressiveness. The cherub, particularly well-developed in size and presence, demonstrates powerful modeling and remarkably precise chasing. The finely veined wings, the delicately rendered hair, the animated drapery, and the naturalness of the movement all reflect first-rate workshop craftsmanship. The balanced proportions and the nobility of the subject matter lend the piece a spectacular dimension. The enamel dial, set within a rich neoclassical frame, houses a complicated movement with a simple date display, indicating the date from 1 to 31. This calendar function, relatively rare on a mantel clock of this period, testifies to a technical ambition and a high-end positioning. The movement is signed "Ferdinand Berthoud à Paris," circa 1870. Although the great 18th-century master died in 1807, his name was perpetuated by his successors, remaining in the 19th century a guarantee of high-quality Parisian watchmaking. The case displays particularly marked stylistic affinities with the productions of Alfred Beurdeley, of whom models depicting the same subject with a nearly identical cherub are known. The strength of the relief, the precision of the chasing, the richness and thickness of the gilding, as well as the extreme care lavished on secondary details, allow us to propose a coherent and solidly argued attribution to this great Parisian bronze caster and publisher, a major figure of the Neoclassical revival under the Second Empire. The gilding, luminous and deep, offers remarkable homogeneity and a quality of application characteristic of the finest Parisian productions of the 19th century. The overall condition is very satisfactory and consistent with the age and nature of the work. We are in the presence of a clock of the highest caliber, combining a complicated movement with a date display and a case attributable to one of the most important bronze casters of the 19th century. A rare and spectacular piece, destined for a discerning collection or a prestigious interior.