Gilt Bronze Pendulum Representing A Satyr And His Child

Gilt bronze clock representing a satyr holding a cornucopia and his child stepping on an amphora. They frame the movement decorated on the upper part with bunches of grapes and surmounted by a pinecone. The clock rests on a white marble base supported by six small top feet. The movement is signed Charles Le Roy (1709-1771) End of the Louis XV period Usual restorations H. 30 x W. 34 x D. 13 cm The clock in our study represents satyrs. The latter are the companions of the god Dyonisos, god of wine: hence the presence of a bunch of grapes. They are always depicted with animal features like hairy paws and horse hooves. The watchmaker who signs our clock is known as Charles Le Roy. He was then watchmaker to the king. In 1788, an inventory mentions nine clocks of the latter, all of which were present in the interior apartments of Louis XV. Then, an inventory of the Menus Plaisirs of 1793 evokes a tenth clock, now kept at the Jean Paul Getty Museum. The latter was then in the council chamber of Louis XVI at the Tuileries, and has the signature of Etienne Martincourt on the case. In addition, the back of our movement is numbered “338”. Thanks to documents of the craftsman, we know that in 1765, the numbering had reached the number 2340. Thus, by deduction we can suppose that the clock would have been produced before this date, which corresponds completely to the stylistic analysis which dates it to the end of the Louis XV period. This activity, rich in orders, perfectly highlights the talent of Charles Le Roy, who then works for the greatest. On the other hand, only one other clock of this model is known to us: it is the clock from the former Bernard B. Steinitz collection, reproduced in the book by Jean-Dominique Augarde (“The workers of time”) . The movement is not signed by Le Roy but by Ageron. However, thanks to this copy, we know the author of the bronze case since the latter is signed Etienne Portelette. Sources: Augarde (Jean-Dominique), The Workers of Time, Antiquorum