Clock Monumental, With Garlands Of Flowers

A large, imposing portico clock in the Louis XVI style, crafted during the Second Empire (circa 1860). This exceptionally large and rare model is distinguished by its monumental architecture, the distinctive wide spacing of its four columns, and an elegant composition inspired by grand antique porticos. The piece is executed in white Carrara marble combined with rich, finely chased, and gilded bronze ornamentation, creating a refined contrast between the purity of the marble and the warm radiance of the gilding.

Crowning the piece is a large, baluster-shaped covered vase in Carrara marble, topped with a bouquet of stylized fruit and foliage. Its body is accented by a row of beading and held by a gilt-bronze mount forming an openwork gallery decorated with roses, daisies, foliage, and ribbons. This floral arrangement—featuring remarkably fine chasing—serves as a magnificent decorative finial that emphasizes the clock's verticality. Beneath the vase sits the circular drum housing the movement, a feature typical of the most luxurious Louis XVI-style models. The white enamel dial is framed by a beaded bezel and displays black painted Arabic numerals. The delicately pierced gilt-bronze hands are exceptionally elegant in design: the hour hand terminates in a radiant star, while the minute hand evokes a streak of light. The movement is housed in an imposing cylindrical drum; the rear reveals a mechanism stamped "Vincenti et Cie"—a prestigious clockmaker listed in Tardy’s dictionary of horologists.

The central section rests on a plinth surrounded by a gilt-bronze baluster gallery, an emblematic element of the Louis XVI decorative vocabulary. Flanking the dial are two elegant miniature Medici vases carved from Carrara marble. They are entwined with gilt-bronze vine garlands featuring veined leaves and grape clusters—symbols of abundance and prosperity. Beneath the dial appears a sculpted gilt-bronze female mask wearing a crown of flowers and fruit, evoking an allegory of the seasons or bountiful nature. The upper section of the portico is enlivened by a sumptuous floral swag draped between the columns. This exceptional garland, entirely chased in gilt-bronze, combines blooming roses, buds, daisies, acanthus leaves, wildflowers, and naturalistic foliage. The richness of the modeling, the relief of the petals, and the fine detailing of the veins attest to meticulous sculptural and chasing work.

A floral drop cascades from the center, forming a highly elegant botanical pendant. The architectural structure rests on four cylindrical Carrara marble columns; their widely spaced arrangement is a key feature of this model. Unlike classical portico clocks with closely set columns, these are widely spaced, creating an impression of lightness and highlighting the suspended pendulum. The columns are adorned with vertical gilt-bronze mounts featuring bead-and-rod motifs. They are topped by capitals decorated with floral garlands and rest on molded bases with fine banding. At the center of this architectural space swings a remarkable gilt-bronze sunburst pendulum. Its radiant disc features a female face in high relief, surrounded by a multitude of diverging rays. This solar motif—a symbol of time and light—harmoniously animates the composition while reinforcing its majestic character.

The base features a particularly elegant, dynamic shape, with projections and recesses that accentuate the clock's monumental character. The carefully polished Carrara marble highlights several decorative ormolu mounts. At the center is a rectangular plaque carved in low relief, depicting winged putti moving around a flower-adorned altar—a scene inspired by the 18th-century neoclassical repertoire. The ends feature foliate trophies composed of delicately intertwined ribbons, foliage, flowers, and pastoral instruments. The piece rests on four turned ormolu feet, lending both stability and elegance to this exceptional composition.

With its high-quality materials, abundant floral ornamentation, finely chased details, imposing size, and—above all—its unusual architectural design featuring widely spaced, free-standing columns, this portico clock represents a particularly rare and spectacular example of decorative horology from the Second Empire (Napoleon III) period, drawing inspiration from the most prestigious Louis XVI style creations.

Original, unmodified movement. Strikes the hours and half-hours on an antique bell with a clear, authentic tone.


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