THE MOVEMENT BY DELAFONTAINE, PARIS, THIRD QUARTER 19TH CENTURY

Jules Janin was a prolific French writer and critic of the mid-19th century, celebrated as the 'prince of critics, king of the feuilleton’, due to his lively weekly theatrical reviews. In 1836 Janin became the drama critic of the Journal des débats, the most read newspaper of the time, and through his essays, as well as novels and literary reviews, he became one of the period's most influential figures within Parisian literary and theatrical circles. So significant was his reputation that upon his death in 1874 his funeral was featured in all the major international newspapers of the period. In their obituary, the New York Times reported the presence of Victor Hugo and Alexander Dumas amongst a crowd which consisted of 'half of the men of letters and journalists of Paris', as well as 'all those of greatness and celebrity in the world of literature and art.' As an art critic, Janin was an early proponent of the Romantic movement, but was nevertheless captivated by the Louis XVI period, from which the model of the present clock garniture originates (for a note on the model, please see Lot 127). The dedication on the base of the clock is for the family physician, Dr. Villette, who is recorded as being present at Janin's death.