Clock; France, c. 1840.

Clock; France, c. 1840.
Gilt bronze and enameled porcelain.
It has broken silk thread suspension.
Preserves key and pendulum.
Presents faults and needs revision.
Signed Lepante a Paris.
Measurements: 41,5 x 26,5 x 19,5 cm.
This is an antique table clock of neoclassical style, of French origin, with an ornamented structure in gilded bronze. It features an architectural design reminiscent of a small temple or pavilion. The clock has a rectangular frame with fluted columns at each corner supporting an ornate upper entablature. In the center is the clock face, decorated with Roman numerals and fine hands, which indicate the hours and minutes. The dial is surrounded by an elegant ornamentation of garlands and classical motifs including winged figures similar to sphinxes or griffins, characteristic of neoclassical aesthetics. The base is solid and has embossed details, including floral motifs and symmetrical decorations. The whole rests on small legs in the form of golden spheres, giving it stability and slightly raising the clock from the plane of the surface. This type of design was common on luxury table clocks of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, often displayed in aristocratic residences.
Twentieth-century bronze table clocks were key pieces of interior decoration and design, as well as symbols of social status and refinement. Elaborately crafted and often adorned with artistic motifs, these clocks not only served to measure time, but also reflected the technical advances and taste for fine craftsmanship of the time. Bronze, a durable and aesthetically appreciated material, allowed the creation of complex and elegant forms, integrating styles such as neoclassical or rococo, which made them highly valued objects in the residences of high society.