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Lot Essay
This impressive, sculptural clock can be attributed to the prominent bronzier François Rémond who was one of most skilled and successful bronziers in Paris during the 1780s and early 1790s. Largely employed by the marchand-mercier Dominique Daguerre, Rémond was responsible, or partly responsible, for the mounts of some of the most celebrated pieces of furniture created in those years, such as the lacquer-mounted toilet table by Weisweiler, delivered to Marie-Antoinette by Daguerre in 1784 and now in the Louvre, Riesener's marquetry dressing table made for the Queen at the Petit Trianon and now at Waddesdon Manor, and some of David Roentgen's most sumptuous works produced for the Russian court (C. Baulez, ''Toute l'Europe tire ses bronzes de Paris'', in: exh. cat. Bernard Molitor 1755-1833, Ébéniste parisien d'origine luxembourgeoise, Luxembourg (Villa Vauban) 1995, pp. 81-88, Figs. 1-6).
The clock’s design relates closely to another model by Rémond which features standing Classical female figures who support a clock case hung with drapery. This model can be traced back to an order in 1790 when Rémond, working under the direction of Daguerre, supplied one to Princess Kinsky to compliment a pair of candelabra that featured the same classical figures (C. Baulez, 'La luminaire de la Princesse Kinsky', L'Estampille/l'Objet d'art 247 (May 1991), p. 88, figs. 1-3). An example of this model with standing figures was sold anonymously at Christie’s, Monaco, 22 June 1986, lot 619 and like the present lot, its movement was also by Manière. He was clearly the favored horloger as other examples of both models contain Manière movements as do other clocks attributed to Remond.
An identical model of this clock with a later base sold anonymously at Christie’s, New York, 21 May 2003, lot 260 and another example with a white marble base was sold from the Late Comte Henri de Beaumont at Christie’s, London, 1 December 2005, lot 135.
The clock’s design relates closely to another model by Rémond which features standing Classical female figures who support a clock case hung with drapery. This model can be traced back to an order in 1790 when Rémond, working under the direction of Daguerre, supplied one to Princess Kinsky to compliment a pair of candelabra that featured the same classical figures (C. Baulez, 'La luminaire de la Princesse Kinsky', L'Estampille/l'Objet d'art 247 (May 1991), p. 88, figs. 1-3). An example of this model with standing figures was sold anonymously at Christie’s, Monaco, 22 June 1986, lot 619 and like the present lot, its movement was also by Manière. He was clearly the favored horloger as other examples of both models contain Manière movements as do other clocks attributed to Remond.
An identical model of this clock with a later base sold anonymously at Christie’s, New York, 21 May 2003, lot 260 and another example with a white marble base was sold from the Late Comte Henri de Beaumont at Christie’s, London, 1 December 2005, lot 135.