Table Clock, "study" And "philosophy". Mesnil, Paris, France, Circa 1815.

Table clock, "Study" and "Philosophy." Gilt bronze, Rouge Griotte marble, etc. Mesnil movement, Paris, France, circa 1815.
In perfect working order.
Table clock with a Rouge Griotte marble base, adorned with several gilt bronze reliefs on the front (in the center, a symmetrical openwork composition with a mascaron flanked by grotesque foliage; two plaques depicting children in different poses), leaving plain gilt areas in the rest of this section. Slightly raised on disc-shaped feet, it features a series of figures around the dial, which is white, with Roman numerals for the hours, Breguet-style hands, and the clockmaker's signature (Mesnil à Paris). The clock rests on a square base adorned with a relief on the front (again, figures of children) and surmounted by an eagle (the bird has its wings spread and holds in its talons a tubular piece from which rays appear to emanate). On either side of this central element are two figures dressed in the antique style. These two seated figures are made of blued bronze and are inspired by two figures created by Louis-Simon Boizot (France, 1743-1809) for the Sèvres clockworks in 1780. Known as "Study" (the lady with the book) and "Philosophy" (the young man with the tablet, Philosophy), they were also made of gilt and blued bronze by François Remond (France, c. 1747-1812) and mounted on clocks commissioned by the merchant Dominique Daguerre, who reportedly requested that the figures rest against a base for the movement and that the dial be surmounted by an eagle. Nevertheless, this composition enjoyed considerable renown, and interesting variations can be found made by other masters between the late 18th and 19th centuries. Compare, for example, with the one kept at the Palace of Versailles, the one in the Hermitage in Saint Petersburg, another at the Quirinal Palace, or the one belonging to the Prado Museum in Madrid and on deposit at the Spanish Embassy to the Holy See (Rome).
Weight: 55 kg · Dimensions: 71 x 17 x 53 cm