Clock "la Source" Attr. To F. Linke And L. Messagé, France, Circa 1890

Charming clock in the shape of a Rocaille-inspired cartel in chiseled and gilded bronze. Scalloped marine-inspired decor representing a trophy with oars, dolphins, reeds and flowers on a trellis background. The white enamel dial is surmounted by an allegory of the Source personified by a Cupid pouring water from a pot and holding an oar. Ending with four arched legs, it rests on a scrolled terrace decorated with acanthus and rocks. The design of this clock is characteristic of the style of Léon Messagé.

Related work :
Similar gilded bronze clock with the design attributed to L. Messagé. C. Payne, Francois Linke 1855-1946: The Belle Epoque of French Furniture, Antique Collector’s Club Ltd., Woodbridge, 2003, pl. 104, p. 93.

Biography :
Léon Messagé is a renowned designer and sculptor who integrated in his ornaments related to the Rocaille asymmetry, new lines and shapes announcing the “Art Nouveau” style. But even though, Messagé found inspiration with these 18th century artists, such as Nicolas Pineau or J. A. Meissonier, he didn’t simply copy their work and showed great originality, even extravagance, with some designs contained in “Cahier des dessins et croquis style Louis XV”. He realized numerous sketches on grey paper before the execution of a reduced or life sized model of his ornaments, made of wax or terra-cotta. From 1885, Léon Messagé started working with important Parisian cabinet-makers such Joseph-Emmanuel Zwiener (1849-1895) and François Linke (1855-1946). François Linke developed his personal style, with such talent and quality that he was named during the 1900 Universal Exhibition the “Linke Style”. His tremendous success and his particular formal imagination came from his association with the designer Léon Messagé. The mutual influences concerning these three artists can be concretely observed in numerous realizations.
François Linke, born in 1855 in Bohemia (Czechoslovakia), worked as a cabinet-maker in Paris from about 1882 until his death in 1946. In 1900, at the apex of his career, he opened a new shop at the famous Parisian place Vendôme. He specialized in Louis XV and Louis XVI style furniture: all pieces were beautifully mounted with gilt-bronze ornaments, and he received numerous commissions. Later Linke decided to collaborate with the well-known sculptor Léon Messagé and integrated new lines and shapes announcing the “Art Nouveau” style. His great success is definitely the 1900 Universal Exhibition where he was awarded the gold medal for his extraordinary kingwood desk, designed by Messagé. At this occasion, the “Revue artistique et industrielle” commented that “Linke’s stand is the biggest show in the history of art furniture”.