Louis XVI clock garrison and chandeliers. Gilt bronze, marble. POCHON, Jean-Charles (act. last third of the 18th century). Paris, France, around 1780 or 1790 and the 19th century. Bibliography: (watch) NIEHÜSER, Elke. “Die französische Bronzeuhr. Eine Typologie der figürlichen Darstellungen”. Callwey, 1997. P. 131. Garnish composed of a table clock with Paris machinery and two candelabras with three lights each, made of white marble and gilt bronze. The clock has a rectangular base with the central area protruding to the front and raised on four legs, further enhanced with plant elements (garlands, leaves, scrolls, etc.) and architectural elements with a marked classicist taste and a relief frieze with children in various attitudes located in an idyllic landscape with architecture in the background. The dial is white, with Arabic numerals for the hours and Arabic dots and numerals every fifteen for the minutes, with a flowery hour hand and a highly decorated minute hand. It is finished off by a composition of flowers, fruits, leaves, garlands and a bow enhancing some arrows and a lit torch; on the sides are Cupid with his bow and a female figure who, most likely, is the goddess Venus. The two chandeliers, each with three lights, have a circular marble base raised on legs and enhanced with a string of gilt bronze pearls, a material from which the leaves and stems are also made, which, intertwining, create each of the three arms, which end in lighters with saucers decorated with raised leaves and strings of pearls. On the dial appears writing "Pochon" and "Paris", alluding to the place of manufacture of the movement (Paris machinery). Jean-Charles Pochon achieved the degree of master watchmaker around 1775, and is considered one of the leading watchmakers of the last third of the 18th century in his field in the French capital. His works are preserved in some private collections of great importance, such as the so-called “Liechtenstein. The princely collections, Vaduz-Vienna”, and institutions such as the Museum of Decorative Arts in Paris (France). It is possible that the machinery or movement is from the 19th century. In the case of the watch (the case itself), examples similar to the present are known in private collections, since the bronzes come from a Parisian workshop. It is known as “L'Amour drobe par ses armes” or “Amor Wird Seiner Waffen Beraubt” (Cupid is stripped of his weapons) due to the iconographic theme it shows. As for the chandeliers, they are reminiscent of Louis XV-style pieces in some details, such as playing with the leaves to create the shape of the pieces, but they also present elements more similar to Neoclassical-style works (the lighters and their decoration). Total weight: 20.35 kg.
· Size: Reloj: 30x12x45 cms. Cand. 17x17x28 cms.
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