Empire clock. France, c. 1810

Empire clock. France, c. 1810
Mercury gilt bronze. Hand-painted porcelain dial, enameled.
With suspension of the pendulum in silk thread.
Signed on the dial: "Le Roy horloger de Madame / à Paris".
Preserves pendulum and key
Presents faults in the dial and wear on the gilding
Measurements: 44 x 19 x 14,5 cm.

Table clock made in gilded bronze in the shape of a classic amphora. The clock in the shape of an amphora is placed on a square base that rests on four round chamfered legs. Relief decoration can be seen on the base. From the base the foot of the cup, with vegetal ornamentation, gives way to the body where the white dial with Roman numerals in black with Breguet type hands is located. This type of watches were very common in the I Empire and, being inspired by them, in the II French Empire. In both cases, the influence of classical decorative elements is clear, both in the reliefs and in the human figures that are placed on the pedestals, always with marked straight lines.

The signature, "Le Roy Horloger de Madame", refers to Bazile-Charles, the only member of the Le Roy family to receive this distinction in 1805, when he became the trusted watchmaker of Laetitia Bonaparte, mother of Napoleon.