Pendulum

Pendulum "La Liseuse" in finely chiseled gilt bronze after a model designed and produced by Jean-André Reiche *, Empire period early 19th century. Pendulum representing a young woman dressed in the Greek style reading a book by the light of an oil lamp, she is seated on a luxurious gondola armchair richly carved with floral scrolls and an Apollo mascaron on the back of the backrest. The young woman is leaning on a delicately draped table ending in claw feet on which the oil lamp is placed. White enamel dial indicating the hours and minutes in Roman numerals. The set rests on a rectangular base in sea green marble resting on four small spinning top feet in gilded bronze. Wire movement striking the hours and half-hours operating with its pendulum and its key. Original mercury gilding with double matte and shiny patina in very good condition, cleaned by our workshop (slight wear). Quality Empire period work both in the finesse of the carving and in the accuracy of the proportions. Jean-André Reiche (1752-1817) is one of the most important Parisian bronziers of the Empire period. Originally from Leipzig, in June 1785 he moved to Paris under the reign of Louis XVI and became Master Foundry in June 1785. He moved his workshop to rue Notre-Dame de Nazareth and immediately enjoyed great notoriety. He appears under the Empire in the section of bronze merchants, the archives attest to a close collaboration with his colleague Claude Galle who will produce some of his models. Jean-André Reiche was the custodian of the model "La Liseuse" which he registered at the Imperial Library on February 19, 1805.