Ormolu Clock, Signed Richon à Paris. Eros And Antéros.

The circular metal dial with roman chapter rings signed Richon boulevard Montmatre à Paris. Christophe Richon Master in Paris 1776. Watchmaker referenced in the Tardy, dictionary of watchmakers at the date of 1776 p 554. This figure of two cherubs fighting to conquer the dove that lies at their feet is Eros and Anteros opposes his brother, in Greek mythology, an endless struggle for strength and purity of feelings. In the sixteenth century, the neo-Platonic ideas have taken this myth by seeing a hostile rivalry Anteros, symbolizing heavenly love and Eros, personifying earthly love. The surprising move of one of the two Puttis, who seems to want to destroy the heart (love) , evokes perhaps this interpretation. The pink posed not far attribute of the goddess of love, Aphrodite, also evokes the charms of sensual love. Erotic metaphors of the work recall the numerous statues of marble rococo, say ordered, especially prevalent in France in the eighteenth century, realized among others under the patronage of Madame de Pompadour.