Lot Essay
Pierre-Philippe Thomire, maître in 1772
Jean-Louis Amant láîné, fils du maître 1751, flourished in the cul de sac de l'Egout St-Martin 1772-89.
The attribution to Pierre-Philippe Thomire is based on the various constituent elements of this clock that are found in the bronzier's oeuvre. The drip-pans are the same as those on the famous American Independance candelabra at Versailles, which were made by Thomire in 1784. The central vase with its frieze depicting the four hours of the day, is the same as one in the Hermitage, illustrated in 'Decorative Bronzes by Pièrre-Philippe Thomire', Exhibition Catalogue, The Hermitage, 1984, no. 11 (inv. E582 - E582). The Hermitage vase was delivered at the end of the XVIIIth Century for the bedroom of Maria Feodorovna at the Palais Mikhaelovsky. Numerous Empire vases, also signed Thomire, have closely related handles, for example those sold anonymously at Christie's Monaco, 21 June 1992, lot 44.
Although almost Empire in its composition, this group nonetheless dates from the early 1790s and the general ornament - the bushel of wheat, the flower-garlands and the pose of the figures - still remains very much in the Louis XVI style.
Such a distinctive object was almost certainly a specific commission. Through the clockmaker Godon, the Spanish Court for example, commissioned from Thomire a chandelier made in 1788, which is in the Palais de la Moncloa
This plinth-supported mantelpiece garniture comprises candelabra-bearing nymphs attending a sacred-urn with clock. The thyrsus-finialled vase, set on the pedestal incorporating the clock, is of krater form with satyr-headed handles inspired by the antique Borghese vase. Its festive bas-relief depicts the goddesses Aurora and Diana accompanied by Horae and Cupids, representing the parts of the day: Dawn by flower-strewing Aurora, Midday by a dining Cupid attended by a nymph, Evening by a Cupid and Psyche with her mantle. The laurel-framed clock-face, incorporated in the pedestal, is supported by vine-wreathed griffins that are sacred to Apollo and bear fruit-laden horns. The attendant nymphs, perched beside the 'altar' pedestal, also bear fruit-filled cornucopiae, from which spring the vase-capped candlebranches entwined with Bacchic vines and Ceres' wheat-ears.
An identical clock from the collection of the late Lord Sherborne, the movement also by Jean Amant, is in the Dining-Room at Hinton Ampner, Hampshire (illustrated in C. Hussey, 'Hinton Ampner', Country Life, June 1969, p. 1424, fig. 9.
A closely related pair of pots-pourris were sold anonymously at Sotheby's Monaco, 21 June 1988, lot 813. While they share identical mounts to the lid, socle and foliate-edged plinth, as well as the frieze and satyr-mask handles, their closely related griffins and scrolled pierced palmette frieze are shared with the celebrated Médaillier, supplied by Guillaume Benneman and with mounts either by Pierre-Philippe Thomire or Francois Rémond to Louis XVI for the Château de Versailles (discussed in C. Baulez, 'Un Médaillier de Louis XVI à Versailles', La Revue du Louvre, 3, 1987, p. 172-5
Jean-Louis Amant láîné, fils du maître 1751, flourished in the cul de sac de l'Egout St-Martin 1772-89.
The attribution to Pierre-Philippe Thomire is based on the various constituent elements of this clock that are found in the bronzier's oeuvre. The drip-pans are the same as those on the famous American Independance candelabra at Versailles, which were made by Thomire in 1784. The central vase with its frieze depicting the four hours of the day, is the same as one in the Hermitage, illustrated in 'Decorative Bronzes by Pièrre-Philippe Thomire', Exhibition Catalogue, The Hermitage, 1984, no. 11 (inv. E582 - E582). The Hermitage vase was delivered at the end of the XVIIIth Century for the bedroom of Maria Feodorovna at the Palais Mikhaelovsky. Numerous Empire vases, also signed Thomire, have closely related handles, for example those sold anonymously at Christie's Monaco, 21 June 1992, lot 44.
Although almost Empire in its composition, this group nonetheless dates from the early 1790s and the general ornament - the bushel of wheat, the flower-garlands and the pose of the figures - still remains very much in the Louis XVI style.
Such a distinctive object was almost certainly a specific commission. Through the clockmaker Godon, the Spanish Court for example, commissioned from Thomire a chandelier made in 1788, which is in the Palais de la Moncloa
This plinth-supported mantelpiece garniture comprises candelabra-bearing nymphs attending a sacred-urn with clock. The thyrsus-finialled vase, set on the pedestal incorporating the clock, is of krater form with satyr-headed handles inspired by the antique Borghese vase. Its festive bas-relief depicts the goddesses Aurora and Diana accompanied by Horae and Cupids, representing the parts of the day: Dawn by flower-strewing Aurora, Midday by a dining Cupid attended by a nymph, Evening by a Cupid and Psyche with her mantle. The laurel-framed clock-face, incorporated in the pedestal, is supported by vine-wreathed griffins that are sacred to Apollo and bear fruit-laden horns. The attendant nymphs, perched beside the 'altar' pedestal, also bear fruit-filled cornucopiae, from which spring the vase-capped candlebranches entwined with Bacchic vines and Ceres' wheat-ears.
An identical clock from the collection of the late Lord Sherborne, the movement also by Jean Amant, is in the Dining-Room at Hinton Ampner, Hampshire (illustrated in C. Hussey, 'Hinton Ampner', Country Life, June 1969, p. 1424, fig. 9.
A closely related pair of pots-pourris were sold anonymously at Sotheby's Monaco, 21 June 1988, lot 813. While they share identical mounts to the lid, socle and foliate-edged plinth, as well as the frieze and satyr-mask handles, their closely related griffins and scrolled pierced palmette frieze are shared with the celebrated Médaillier, supplied by Guillaume Benneman and with mounts either by Pierre-Philippe Thomire or Francois Rémond to Louis XVI for the Château de Versailles (discussed in C. Baulez, 'Un Médaillier de Louis XVI à Versailles', La Revue du Louvre, 3, 1987, p. 172-5