Portico clock; France, c. 1850.

Portico clock; France, c. 1850.
Gilt bronze and enameled porcelain.
It has Paris machinery.
No pendulum or key.
Presents faults.
Signed Angavin in Paris.
Measurements: 47,5 x 24 x 14,5 cm.
Portico type table clock with French machinery. Between the four columns is centered the enameled and gilded dial with Roman numerals and Breguet hands. The piece is made entirely of gilded bronze. With a design of architectural character the work sits on four chamfered legs that give way to a base on which sit four columns that flank the clock case. On the case rests the pediment with a cornice flown in the upper area of clear classical inspiration.
The bronze table clocks of the 19th century 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, which made them highly valued objects in the residences of high society.