Mythological French Empire mantel clock “Venus disarming Amor”, circa 1810

An exceptionally fine and rare gilt-bronze Empire mantel clock, executed entirely in matte and burnished mercury gilding, and resting upon a base of beautifully veined sea-green marble. This striking early 19th-century French timepiece presents a superb mythological composition depicting Venus playfully disarming her son Amor, rendered with great delicacy and refinement. In eighteenth-century art, the punishment of Amor was often entrusted to his mother, Venus, who employed various charming yet symbolic means to subdue him. By confiscating his bow and arrows, she deprived the mischievous god of love of his power to wound mortal hearts, momentarily curbing his playful tyranny over his unsuspecting victims.


The goddess Venus is shown seated, gracefully taking the bow from her child in a tender and light-hearted scene symbolising love’s gentle triumph over desire. The sculptural group is modelled with remarkable precision, recalling the finest Neoclassical interpretations of mythological subjects. The chair upon which Venus sits is itself a masterpiece of Empire design, evoking the grandeur of high Napoleonic furnishings. Beside the chair are an amphora-shaped jar and a jewellery box containing Venus’s crown, necklace, and a golden apple, the latter a timeless emblem of love.


The case, with its gently rounded ends, is richly adorned with gilt-bronze mounts: branches, classical female figures, and trophies of love together form a narrative of romantic allegory. A frieze of palm leaves and rosettes, delicately chiselled against a grained ground, runs across the front, uniting the composition. The clock is raised on six finely cast gilt-bronze feet under the marble plinth, lending it both stability and poise. The overall composition is a visual celebration of classical beauty and the enduring theme of love.


At the centre, the movement features a white enamel dial with black Roman numerals and elegant pierced gilt hands, providing a harmonious focal point. The movement, with anchor escapement, wire suspension and count-wheel striking, sounds the hours and half-hours on a bell. It is offered in excellent working order, complete with its pendulum, bell, and winding key. Expertly cleaned and carefully serviced, the clock retains its original lustrous mercury gilding, remarkably well preserved for its age.


A magnificent example of early 19th-century French craftsmanship, this clock embodies the refinement, harmony, and mythological inspiration that define the very essence of Empire design.


Origin: France, Empire period circa 1810

Dimensions: Height 47 cm (18.5?), Width 40 cm (15.7?), Depth 13 cm (5.1?).


Literature
- Pierre Kjellberg, “Encyclopédie de la pendule française”, p.392 #C.
- Elke Niehüser, “French Bronze Clocks”, p.98 #157.