Gilded Bronze “Borne” Clock Louis XVI Period

Louis XVI Period

Neoclassicism was born from a reaction against the flamboyant rocaille style characteristic of the reign of Louis XV. Under his successor, Louis XVI, the virtues of logic, symmetry and rectilinear lines were greatly cherished.

An emphatic return to simpler Greco-Roman decorative motifs meant that neoclassicism could sometimes appear quite austere. However, Queen Marie Antoinette enlivened designs somewhat with flowers and ribbons, granting French neoclassicism its delicate charm.

This clock is crafted in engraved, gilt bronze, and rests on a projecting base of white marble. It is richly decorated with garlands of laurel, blossoms, foliage and scrollwork. Crowning the piece is a pierced bronze urn which reveals glimpses of red velvet.
During the Louis XVI period, clocks of the “borne” shape became very popular and were eagerly brought into wealthy homes.
The white enamel dial figures the name of the clockmaker and the city in which he worked, “Cronier Paris”. Clocks marked “Paris” which were still are the most sought after models in France.