Louis XV style clock; France, c. 1880

Clock Louis XV style; France, c. 1880
Gilt bronze. Hand-painted porcelain dial, enameled.
With Brocot suspension.
Signed on the mechanism: "G.F" (possibly Grosjean Frères, Switzerland).
Preserves pendulum and key
Measurements: 69 x 50 x 25 cm.

Table clock made of bronze and enameled porcelain. The piece has a clear orientalist inspiration, very fashionable during the nineteenth century. In the lower area there is a large base of rococo aesthetics, with sinuous profile and bronze appliques in the profiles and in the central area that combine with a green and red finish. In the upper area a bronze elephant serves as the base for the watch case with Roman numerals in black and gold-colored openwork hands. Finally, the upper area of the clock case is topped by the round figure of a man holding a kind of umbrella in his hand.

Nineteenth century bronze table clocks were key pieces in decoration and interior 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.