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Lot Essay
THIS MAGNIFICENT CLOCK IS VIRTUALLY IDENTICAL TO THE EXAMPLE SUPPLIED BY PIERRE-PHILIPPE THOMIRE (1751-1843) TO NAPOLEON IN 1802. THE DESIGN FOR THIS CLOCK IS BASED ON 'PAUL ET VIRGINIE', THE CELEBRATED LOVE STORY BY BERNARDIN DE SAINT-PIERRE OF 1788, WHICH IS SET ON THE ISLAND OF MAURITIUS BETWEEN 1735 AND 1762. NAPOLEON WAS A GREAT ADMIRER OF THE STORY AND COMMISSIONED THOMIRE TO EXECUTE A CLOCK WITH THIS SUBJECT, WHICH HE INTENDED TO GIVE TO THE AUTHOR (E. NIEHüSER, FRENCH BRONZE CLOCKS, 1700-1830, MUNICH, 1999, PP. 151-152, FIGS.246-247 AND P. KJELLBERG, LA PENDULE FRANçAISE, PARIS, 1997, P. 358, FIG. C). THE PRESENT CLOCK REPRESENTS THE LARGEST AND MOST ELABORATE MODEL OF THIS SUBJECT. A SMALLER VERSION WAS SOLD ANONYMOUSLY AT CHRISTIE'S MONACO, 16 JUNE 1990, LOT 210 (FF 200,000) AND A FURTHER EXAMPLE WAS SOLD ANONYMOUSLY AT CHRISTIE'S NEW YORK, 1 NOVEMBER 1990, LOT 50 ($38,500).
JOSEPH COTEAU (1740-1801), BECAME MAîTRE-PEINTRE-éMAILLEUR AT THE ACADEMIE DE ST-LUC IN GENEVA IN 1766 AND MOVED TO PARIS IN 1772, WHERE HE WAS INSTALLED IN THE RUE POUPéE. COTEAU IS CELABRATED NOT ONLY FOR HIS SKILL IN DECORATING ENAMELLED DIALS BUT ALSO AS AN ACCOMPLISHED MINIATURIST. HE DEVELOPED A NEW METHOD FOR FIXING RAISED GOLD ON PORCELAIN AND WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE SèVRES MANUFACORY IN DEVELOPING THEIR SO-CALLED 'JEWELLED' PORCELAIN.
JOSEPH COTEAU (1740-1801), BECAME MAîTRE-PEINTRE-éMAILLEUR AT THE ACADEMIE DE ST-LUC IN GENEVA IN 1766 AND MOVED TO PARIS IN 1772, WHERE HE WAS INSTALLED IN THE RUE POUPéE. COTEAU IS CELABRATED NOT ONLY FOR HIS SKILL IN DECORATING ENAMELLED DIALS BUT ALSO AS AN ACCOMPLISHED MINIATURIST. HE DEVELOPED A NEW METHOD FOR FIXING RAISED GOLD ON PORCELAIN AND WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE SèVRES MANUFACORY IN DEVELOPING THEIR SO-CALLED 'JEWELLED' PORCELAIN.