The Offering To The Hymen-pendulum In Biscuit Porcelain. Circa 1900

Delicate Louis XVI-inspired Fireplace or Boudoir pendulum in porcelain biscuit and gilded chased bronze with an allegorical subject of "The Offering to the Hymen". Laughing, a young woman dressed in the Antique style surrounds, in a graceful gesture, with an opulent garland of roses the pedestal of a flaming casserole erected on an Altar in the form of a fluted half-column near which she frolics, perched on a quiver and a flaming brandon torchiere studded with rose seedlings, a couple of doves. This composition of feminine sensitivity stands on a rectangular molded base highlighted with a string of pearls; its projection enhanced with a gilt bronze wall light chiseled with a motif uniting within a crown of ribboned roses amorous attributes (bow, quiver, brandon) and pastoral attributes (shepherd's crook). All carried by six small ornate spinning top feet. Topped with a bow of shell ribbon, the white enameled dial, set on its beaded and pretzel bezel, indicates the hours and minutes in Arabic numerals by two hands pierced with patterns of arrows and darts. Movement numbered and bearing the watchmaker's stamp: "Samuel Marti/ Gold Medal/ Paris 1900". Parisian work in Louis XVI style from the beginning of the 20th century, inspired by watchmaking models from the Louis XVI period using porcelain patterns created in particular around 1776 by Simon Boizot (1743-1809). Circa 1900. ----------------- By turns laughing, fervent with grace, her face illuminated under her hair dressed in a bun with a fine smile, the young woman depicted on this watch piece, draped in an Antique tunic revealing its thrilling forms, revives the seductive sentimental allegories dear to the French 18th century within which, in an anthology of garlands of roses, modest vestals, innocent young girls, ingenuous Cupids blessed with the trait of their arrows wander around the Altar of Love. In this charming clock made of bisque porcelain, everything speaks of Love or more precisely of Hymen. This, in a neo-classical mode characteristic of the Louis XVI style: the Altar of marital devotion takes the form of a fluted half-column topped with a majestic flaming cassolette (synonymous with amorous ardor) set on its body with a frieze of posts, a ribboned rush and lanceolate leaves; the roses (attribute of Venus, goddess of Love) assembled in an offering garland, in tight bouquets or braided into a crown echo motifs evocative of the journey of love (quiver with arrows, bow, torchiere with flaming bradon) including the Couple of Doves frolicking with tenderness (symbol of the Union) is the ultimate consecration. Heart stripes, pearls, pleated ribbon tied with double shells - characteristic motifs of the Louis XVI ornamental repertoire -, just like the profile knowingly chosen for the hands adorning the dial enhance this watch piece celebrating the softness and vivacity of L'Hyménée. With an elegant silhouette, this clock with great formal and ornamental weighting is affiliated with its charming theme with the porcelain creations produced in the last third of the 18th century by the Sèvres Manufacture. And, more precisely with the figures, allegorical groups with a sentimental significance (L'Offrande à l'Hymen, L'offrande à l'Amour, 1776, porcelain biscuits), made by Louis-Simon Boizot (1734-1804) whose vogue will persist with Parisian society won over since the 1870s to the intimate Louis XVI aesthetic, to its suave sentimental dreaminess. ------------------------------------ Parisian work in Louis XVI style from the beginning of the 20th century. Circa 1900. Materials: porcelain biscuit; gilded bronze; enamel and glass. Dimensions: H.: 40 cm;-L.: 30cm;-Dr.: 15.5 cm. Very good state. With its key and its pendulum.