.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
Jean-Baptiste Dutertre, maître horloger in 1735.
Jean-Joseph de Saint-Germain, maître fondeur in 1748.
The C Couronné poinçon was a tax mark employed on any alloy containing copper between March 1745 and February 1749.
This magnificent mantel clock with musical movement belongs to a group that is often attributed to the collaboration between the fondeur-ciseleur, Jean-Joseph de Saint-Germain, with his father, the ébéniste Joseph de Saint-Germain and of which several stamped examples survive.
Clocks incorporating figures of rhinoceros, elephants, bulls and lions were highly fashionable in mid-18th century Paris. Draughtsmen and ornemanistes routinely produced, copied and plagiarized popular subjects in response to changing tastes and current events. In this way models were disseminated to a number of workshops.
The arrival of a live rhinoceros in Rotterdam in 1741, and its subsequent travel to Versailles in early January 1749 and then to Paris on 3 February 1749 where it remained until April, exemplifies how current events and fashion were so closely intertwined. Inevitably, the marchands-merciers were quick to seize upon the mania created by the exotic animal's presence, and proceeded to supply objects au rhinocéros (T. H. Clarke, The Rhinoceros from Dürer to Stubbs 1515 - 1799, 1986).
SAINT-GERMAIN AND RHINOCEROS CLOCKS
The earliest version of a mantel clock with a rhinoceros base dates to before 1747, when the inventory drawn up upon the death of Jean-Joseph de Saint-Germain's wife mentions 'deux pendules au rhinoceros l'une pour modèle et l'autre finie prisées ensembles la somme de 140 l.'. As this predates the 1749 pilgrimage of the Rotterdam rhinoceros to Paris, it is probable that Saint-Germain had looked to popular graphic sources such as Albrecht Dürer's celebrated engraving of 1515.
Three distinct models of this mantel clock by Saint-Germain are recognized. The first and earliest group, based on the Dürer engraving with the large scales of the rhinoceros' legs, is represented by a clock formerly in the Alexander collection, sold Christie's, New York, 30 April 1999, lot 115, one ilustrated in E. Niehüser, French Bronze Clocks, 1700 - 1830: A Study of the Figural Images, Atglen, 1999, p. 111, fig. 176, another sold anonymously at Christie's, London, 6 July 1978, lot 37, and a fourth sold from the Collection Viel, Galerie Georges Petit, Paris, 24 May 1932, lot 51. Interestingly, all of the examples from this earliest group were clearly modelled separately from the ormolu base, as it is naturalistically modelled without incorporating plain recesses to take the feet.
A second model, probably based on Johann Joachim Kändler's figure of a rhinoceros, modelled for Meissen in 1747 upon the animal's visit to Dresden, is slightly less stylized with the beast's head rearing. Another in bronze is illustrated in J.-D. Augarde, 'Jean-Joseph de Saint-Germain (1719 - 1791): Bronzearbeiten zwischen Rocaille und Klassizismus' in H. Ottomeyer, P. Pröschel et al., Vergoldete Bronzen, Munich, 1986, vol. II, p. 525, fig. 2, and a third was sold anonymously, Christie's, New York, 2 November 2000, lot 181. A further example in porcelain, dating from 1752, formerly in the collection of Mr. and Mrs. Franklin N. Groves, was sold at Christie's, New York, 15 October 1988, lot 37.
The final model was almost certainly executed during 1749 when the rhinoceros was in Paris, where it was available for first hand study. Examples of this type include one in the Grog-Carven collection at the Musée du Louvre (P. Kjellberg, Encyclopédie de la pendule française du Moyen Age au XXe siècle, Paris, 1997, p. 129, fig. D), another formerly in the Roberto Polo collection, sold Sotheby's, New York, 3 November 1989, lot 44, and a third formerly with Alexander & Berendt, London, sold, Christie's, Monaco, 5 December 1992, lot 73.
JEAN-JOSEPH DE SAINT-GERMAIN
Elected as a maître fondeur en terre et en sable on 15 July 1748, Saint-Germain (1719 - 1791) enjoyed the privilege of an ouvrier libre - enabling him to act both as an ébéniste and bronzier. He frequently supplied cases cast with animal forms and allegorical figures to the leading clockmakers of Paris, including the le Roy workshops, Etienne Lenoir and Jean-Philippe Gosselin. The quality of chasing and modelling in Saint-Germain's animal and foliate decorated cases also suggests close study of the natural world. His collection of books and objects sheds light on his interests in the natural sciences, particularly botany and mineralogy, explaining the quality of his bronze casts (J.-D. Augarde, 'Jean-Joseph de Saint-Germain: Bronzier (1719 - 1791)', L'Estampille L'Objet d'Art, December, 1996, pp. 63 - 82).
JOSEPH DE SAINT-GERMAIN
The base of the bronze clock can be attributed to Joseph, the father of Jean-Joseph, himself the son of a menuisier. He became maître in 1750 and was specialised in the production of bases for mantel clocks and the backings for cartel clocks and barometers. Father and son shared the same atelier between 1750 and 1755 which promoted the exchange of mounts and coffers during that period. Indeed, the offered base is identical to a base for a clock stamped by Joseph de Saint-Germain surmounted by a model of the pendule aux enfants sauvages which was also stamped by Jean-Joseph de Saint-Germain, which was sold anonymously, Christie's, New York, 18 October 2002, lot 600.
Jean-Joseph de Saint-Germain, maître fondeur in 1748.
The C Couronné poinçon was a tax mark employed on any alloy containing copper between March 1745 and February 1749.
This magnificent mantel clock with musical movement belongs to a group that is often attributed to the collaboration between the fondeur-ciseleur, Jean-Joseph de Saint-Germain, with his father, the ébéniste Joseph de Saint-Germain and of which several stamped examples survive.
Clocks incorporating figures of rhinoceros, elephants, bulls and lions were highly fashionable in mid-18th century Paris. Draughtsmen and ornemanistes routinely produced, copied and plagiarized popular subjects in response to changing tastes and current events. In this way models were disseminated to a number of workshops.
The arrival of a live rhinoceros in Rotterdam in 1741, and its subsequent travel to Versailles in early January 1749 and then to Paris on 3 February 1749 where it remained until April, exemplifies how current events and fashion were so closely intertwined. Inevitably, the marchands-merciers were quick to seize upon the mania created by the exotic animal's presence, and proceeded to supply objects au rhinocéros (T. H. Clarke, The Rhinoceros from Dürer to Stubbs 1515 - 1799, 1986).
SAINT-GERMAIN AND RHINOCEROS CLOCKS
The earliest version of a mantel clock with a rhinoceros base dates to before 1747, when the inventory drawn up upon the death of Jean-Joseph de Saint-Germain's wife mentions 'deux pendules au rhinoceros l'une pour modèle et l'autre finie prisées ensembles la somme de 140 l.'. As this predates the 1749 pilgrimage of the Rotterdam rhinoceros to Paris, it is probable that Saint-Germain had looked to popular graphic sources such as Albrecht Dürer's celebrated engraving of 1515.
Three distinct models of this mantel clock by Saint-Germain are recognized. The first and earliest group, based on the Dürer engraving with the large scales of the rhinoceros' legs, is represented by a clock formerly in the Alexander collection, sold Christie's, New York, 30 April 1999, lot 115, one ilustrated in E. Niehüser, French Bronze Clocks, 1700 - 1830: A Study of the Figural Images, Atglen, 1999, p. 111, fig. 176, another sold anonymously at Christie's, London, 6 July 1978, lot 37, and a fourth sold from the Collection Viel, Galerie Georges Petit, Paris, 24 May 1932, lot 51. Interestingly, all of the examples from this earliest group were clearly modelled separately from the ormolu base, as it is naturalistically modelled without incorporating plain recesses to take the feet.
A second model, probably based on Johann Joachim Kändler's figure of a rhinoceros, modelled for Meissen in 1747 upon the animal's visit to Dresden, is slightly less stylized with the beast's head rearing. Another in bronze is illustrated in J.-D. Augarde, 'Jean-Joseph de Saint-Germain (1719 - 1791): Bronzearbeiten zwischen Rocaille und Klassizismus' in H. Ottomeyer, P. Pröschel et al., Vergoldete Bronzen, Munich, 1986, vol. II, p. 525, fig. 2, and a third was sold anonymously, Christie's, New York, 2 November 2000, lot 181. A further example in porcelain, dating from 1752, formerly in the collection of Mr. and Mrs. Franklin N. Groves, was sold at Christie's, New York, 15 October 1988, lot 37.
The final model was almost certainly executed during 1749 when the rhinoceros was in Paris, where it was available for first hand study. Examples of this type include one in the Grog-Carven collection at the Musée du Louvre (P. Kjellberg, Encyclopédie de la pendule française du Moyen Age au XXe siècle, Paris, 1997, p. 129, fig. D), another formerly in the Roberto Polo collection, sold Sotheby's, New York, 3 November 1989, lot 44, and a third formerly with Alexander & Berendt, London, sold, Christie's, Monaco, 5 December 1992, lot 73.
JEAN-JOSEPH DE SAINT-GERMAIN
Elected as a maître fondeur en terre et en sable on 15 July 1748, Saint-Germain (1719 - 1791) enjoyed the privilege of an ouvrier libre - enabling him to act both as an ébéniste and bronzier. He frequently supplied cases cast with animal forms and allegorical figures to the leading clockmakers of Paris, including the le Roy workshops, Etienne Lenoir and Jean-Philippe Gosselin. The quality of chasing and modelling in Saint-Germain's animal and foliate decorated cases also suggests close study of the natural world. His collection of books and objects sheds light on his interests in the natural sciences, particularly botany and mineralogy, explaining the quality of his bronze casts (J.-D. Augarde, 'Jean-Joseph de Saint-Germain: Bronzier (1719 - 1791)', L'Estampille L'Objet d'Art, December, 1996, pp. 63 - 82).
JOSEPH DE SAINT-GERMAIN
The base of the bronze clock can be attributed to Joseph, the father of Jean-Joseph, himself the son of a menuisier. He became maître in 1750 and was specialised in the production of bases for mantel clocks and the backings for cartel clocks and barometers. Father and son shared the same atelier between 1750 and 1755 which promoted the exchange of mounts and coffers during that period. Indeed, the offered base is identical to a base for a clock stamped by Joseph de Saint-Germain surmounted by a model of the pendule aux enfants sauvages which was also stamped by Jean-Joseph de Saint-Germain, which was sold anonymously, Christie's, New York, 18 October 2002, lot 600.