Louis XIV Wall Clock – Signed Angoille In Paris, Rosewood And Gilded Bronze.

Paris, circa 1740–1750Elegant rosewood veneer wall clock, richly decorated with gilded bronzes, signed by the clockmaker Angoille in Paris, active in the capital in the mid-18th century.The architectural, symmetrical and balanced form of the case reflects the canons of the Louis XIV style, the abundance of bronzes and the refined iconographic composition are characteristic of Parisian taste at the end of the 17th and beginning of the 18th century. While the use of rosewood veneer only appeared at the beginning of the Louis XV style. (According to the inventories of the cabinetmakers, drawn up upon their death)The movement: Original movement, suspensions changed during an overhaul, verge escapement. Back plate signed "Angoille à Paris", the dial at the front also bears the watchmaker's name on an enameled plaque, little is known of this watchmaker, there are a few cartels but also gold pocket watches from the Louis XV period signed by this craftsman. Finely chiseled bronze dial enclosing enameled cartouches with blue Roman numerals. Finely worked original hands. The gilt bronze decorations (ornamentation): Lower part of the door (under the dial): Allegory of the Arts and Sciences In the center, a winged putto holds a compass above a world map: he embodies the exact sciences (geometry, exploration, knowledge). At his feet: a paint palette and brushes, symbols of the fine arts. left, a female figure with a cornucopia: allegory of Prosperity. On the right, another female figure holds an open book: allegory of Knowledge or Erudition. Upper part, the amortization: Bacchic putto, crowned with vines and bunches of grapes, he holds a raised cup and a flask of wine, it is an allegory of pleasure, celebrations and the joy of living, this putto harmoniously completes the iconographic ensemble. Other details: Mascaron of a woman with an antique hairstyle, women's terms on the front uprights, large leafy rosettes, acanthus falls and friezes of lambrequins. Overall reading: This cartel, whose frame is made of oak, wood used in Paris for the manufacture of cases, is a brilliant synthesis between the Louis XIV and Louis XV styles, but also between classical values and those of the Enlightenment: reason, knowledge, creation and pleasure. This clock was made in Paris during the first part of the Louis XV style, situated between 1740 and 1750, but always in a Louis XIV style with a novelty for the time, the use of rosewood, while the majority of cartel or religious clocks from the Louis XIV period were veneered with boulle marquetry, or tortoiseshell or even blackened wood. It constitutes an interesting and rare piece, as much for the quality of its movement, its signature as for the symbolic richness of its decoration. Dimensions: Height: 68.5 cm Width: 33 cm Depth: 13 cm Provenance: private collection,