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RICHARD REDDING ANTIQUES |
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RICHARD REDDING ANTIQUES |
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A very important Louis XV gilt bronze figural clock of fourteen days duration, signed on the white enamel dial and also on the backplate Chles Baltazar à Paris housed in a magnificent gilt brass case attributed to Jean-Joseph de Saint-Germain. The dial with blue Roman numerals for the hours and outer black Arabic numerals for the minutes and a very fine pair of pierced gilt brass hands. The movement with crown wheel verge escapement, silk thread suspension, original short pendulum, striking on the hour and half hour on a single bell, with outside count wheel. The magnificent gilt bronze case in perfect condition stamped on each figure and elsewhere with a C-couronné poinçon, the glazed dial and bezel within a scrolling foliate rocaille arbour surmounted by a pair of entwined putti, one holding a bunch of grapes, with single putti either side of the dial, one to the right holding a sheaf of corn and sickle, the other to the left with outstretched hand, a further putti holding a bunch of grapes seated on a reclining goat below the dial, upon a scrolling rocaille base Paris, dated 1745-9 Height 55 cm, width 37 cm, depth 20 cm. The C-couronné poinçon is evidence that the gilt bronze case was completed between March 1745 and February 1749, corresponding with a royal edict that all bronzes were to be struck with the mark as visible proof that duty had been paid to the crown. This very rare and wonderful clock is housed in a very special high Rococo case. The overall style and quality shares much in common with the work of the esteemed bronzier Jean-Joseph de Saint-Germain (1719-91). As here he delighted in portraying animated putti perched in precarious positions appearing as if they about to tumble from the clock case. One can compare the present case with another by Saint-Germain in the Musée Carnavalet, Paris and another with dial signed Etienne Champion à Paris (illustrated in Pierre Kjellberg, “Encyclopédie de la Pendule Française du Moyen Age au XXe Siècle”, 1997, p. 117, pl. F.) The inclusion of a goat is very unusual and although apparently unprecendented it relates to other Saint-Germain clock cases, for instance one with a dragon support surmounted by a single putti (illustrated in Hans Ottomeyer and Peter Pröschel, “Vergoldete Bronzen”, 1986, p. 108, pl. 2.2.1.) In addition the pair of surmounting putti, enveloped in their complicated pose, look back to Rococo designs by Juste Aurèle Meissonier (e.g. a design for a candlestick with cascading putti of 1728, Ottomeyer op. cit. p. 102, pl. 2.1.1), as well as a finished candlestick in the Palazzo Pitti, Florence, (Ottomeyer op. cit. p. 103, pl. 2.1.3.) The overall subject is somewhat ambiguous. It is tempting to suggest that the four groups represent the seasons: the putti with sheaf and sickle symbolising summer while the grapes and goat are associated with autumn. However as winter and spring are not represented it is more likely that the overall subject represents the harvest. The attribution to Saint-Germain is strengthened by the fact that he was one of a few select case suppliers to Charles Baltazar (d. before 1776), who was responsible for the movement. Charles Baltazar (or Balthazar), also known as Henri-Charles and as Charles père l’Aîné was one of the most famous members of a large family of clockmakers and a leading Parisian maker during the Louis XV and early Louis XVI periods. He was the son of Henry (although Tardy notes his father was Jean-Baptiste). His brothers Marc-Antoine, Denis, Noël, Jean-Chrysostome, Joseph as well as his own son, Louis-Charles (maître 1768) were also fine makers. Charles became a maître-horloger in 1717 and soon established great repute, gaining the title of Horloger de Mesdames Filles de France. His list of clients was most impressive, including the Garde-Meuble de la Couronne, as well as the Ambassador of Russia, the comte d’Armentières, the marquis de Saint-Georges and Monsieur Castel. First recorded at Place Dauphine 1733, Charles Baltazar subsequently worked from the Cloister de Saint-Germain de l’Auxerrois, 1737. He was then at rue du Roule in 1747, from where he continued working up until at least 1772 at which date he received the Freedom of the City. He made both watches and clocks and also made a number of movements for grand and small cartels as well as a range of mantle and longcase clocks. He used cases made by the finest makers of the day; in addition to Jean-Joseph de Saint-Germain he was supplied by the bronziers Edme Roy, Jacques Dumont and Jean-Louis Beaucour and by the ébénistes Balthazar Lieutaud, Jean Goyer and Antoine Foullet. In turn Baltad,r supplied movements to the ébénistes Jean-François Oeben and Jacques Dubois. Today one can admire his work in the Musée de Château de Champs and the Museum für Künsthandwerk in Dresden. |