Rare Louis XVI Clock, Carrara Marble, Gilt Bronze And Lapis Lazuli

This Louis XVI clock is made of white marble and gilt bronze. It rests on a curved rectangular base, decorated with a beaded frieze and decorative motifs in gilt bronze. The circular dial in white enamel is framed by a gilt garland and features Roman or Arabic numerals to indicate the time, with finely chiseled hands. Two sculpted figures in gilt bronze frame the clock: a woman draped in antique dress, perhaps a muse or an allegory of wisdom and knowledge, and a faun holding a staff, evoking nature, celebration and the Dionysian spirit of Greco-Roman mythology. This juxtaposition could represent the balance between wisdom and instinct, culture and nature, temperance and excess. The medallion that tops the clock is decorated with lapis lazuli, a semi-precious stone of a deep blue, often associated with royalty and the divine, with truth and wisdom. This clock is characteristic of the Louis XVI style (second half of the 18th century); this style is distinguished by its antique inspiration, its symmetry, its refined ornaments and the use of noble materials such as marble and gilded bronze. The introduction of the intense blue of lapis lazuli creates a striking contrast with the white marble and gilded bronze, further accentuating the refinement of the whole. This detail may also evoke the influence of luxury objects of the 18th century, where the use of hard stones (malachite, lapis lazuli, agate) was frequent in the ornamentation of clocks and art objects intended for the aristocracy and the great European courts. The addition of lapis lazuli therefore gives this clock an even more remarkable presence, combining classicism and timeless sophistication. Movement in perfect working order; silk thread suspension and chime on the hours and half hours.