so-called "romantic" clock adorned with Sèvres porcelain plaque

This very important gilt bronze terminal clock, the dial of which is surmounted by a Sèvres porcelain vase is supported by two gilt bronze putti. The body of the clock is decorated with a Sèvres porcelain plaque decorated with a gallant scene. The base is also decorated with three porcelain plates and the sides are flanked by a large winding enriched with a large acanthus leaf in the lower part. The clock rests on four gilded bronze feet.

The second half of the nineteenth century saw the emergence in large numbers to satisfy an increasingly numerous bourgeoisie, furnishing objects imitating or interpreting works of the past. The Empress Eugenie devotes a cult to Marie-Antoinette and will initiate what will be called "the Louis XVI-empress style".
The clocks and mantelpieces take their place on the imposing fireplaces of the mansions. Overload and opulence are the key words for manufacturers. The interpretation of the Louis XVI style takes up certain decorations used in the 18th century, in particular the Sèvres porcelain plaques representing pastorals or gallant scenes after Boucher.