A Rare Gilt And Patinated Bronze Mantel Clock With Lion

A clock with a lion in gilt and patinated bronze. The patinated bronze lion carries on its back a fabric that supports the clock's movement. The clock is encased in a gilded bronze case adorned with a row of pearls, a laurel garland, a tied ribbon, and an urn. The lion rests on a base with neoclassical motifs: a large laurel garland, fluting, and an interlaced frieze.  
Movement signed “Beffara à Paris”  
Based on a design by François Vion  
Louis XVI period  
Customary restorations  
H. 30 x L. 17.5 x D. 10 cm  

The clock we are examining today has a precise and documented history, which is rare in the area of art objects. Understanding and knowing the people involved in its creation, the interest it has sparked, and observing that it continues to fascinate viewers today adds real value to the piece.  
Thus, the clock was designed based on a drawing by François Vion. It is model number 22 preserved in the “Collection of Drawings - Clock Models - 1755-1780” in the INHA library (Jacques Doucet collections). The clock is extremely faithful to the drawing, both in terms of its base and the composition details of the lion (compared to other very similar clocks with slight differences).  
It is a genuine “model,” as evidenced by other examples almost identical to our clock. Indeed, the Mobilier National holds a lion clock with an interesting provenance. It is said to have come from the collection of the Prince de Condé at the Palais Bourbon (today, it is displayed at the Ministry of Finance). This clock has been widely reproduced in reference books such as “Les bronzes du Mobilier National - Pendules et cartels” by Ernest Dumonthier, “Vergoldete Bronzen” by Hans Ottomeyer and Peter Proschel, and in the catalog of the exhibition “Les fastes du pouvoir” by Jean-Jacques Gautier (also exhibited during the exhibition).  
Another very similar piece is held at the Pavlovsk Palace in Saint Petersburg, and another was sold at Sotheby’s as lot number 67 on November 27, 2018. Some details differ, such as the material of the lion (gilded bronze or patinated bronze), the rim of the dial in marcasite, etc.  

François Vion was a bronze sculptor of high-quality work, becoming a master in 1764. He seems to have specialized in clock cases. A famous work we can mention is the Three Graces Clock created for the Comtesse du Barry at the Château de Fontainebleau, in which he participated. Jean-Dominique Augarde lists him among the “most brilliant artists” in his book “Les ouvriers du temps”.  

Our lion clock fits into a broader taste for clocks with animal subjects. The menagerie includes some of its favorite figures: the rhinoceros, the elephant, the horse, the wild boar, the dragon, the dromedary, and of course, the lion. While the animal is the authentic subject of the clock, it is prominently displayed in the foreground and almost eclipses the presence of the clockwork itself. As true sculptures, Osmond, Saint-Germain, Caffieri, Violet, and Vion brought these animals to life. Developed under Louis XV, the lion during the reign of Louis XVI is depicted in a more “relaxed” manner, surrounded by knots, ribbons, and flower garlands.