Lot Essay
The panels of this clock are particularly fine examples of late 19th century Limoges workmanship. Costly to produce, as with porcelain panels such ornament was only used on the very best clocks retailed by French manufacturers.
The craft of enamelling at Limoges dates back to the mid 12th century, and the art of painting on enamel to around 1470. The earliest examples produced white to grey tones on a dark background, known as en grisaille.The technique of painting in polychromatic colours was well advanced by the 17th century but a grisaille background, heightened with polychrome, remained in vogue even at the end of the 19th century. On the present example this has been used to great effect in conjunction with the texture of the enamel to create an illusion of three dimensions. The use of Renaissance period scenes and characters on this and following examples is typical, with enamel painters harking back to the early days of their art; similarly Sèvres style porcelain panels frequently show 18th century costumes and settings.
The craft of enamelling at Limoges dates back to the mid 12th century, and the art of painting on enamel to around 1470. The earliest examples produced white to grey tones on a dark background, known as en grisaille.The technique of painting in polychromatic colours was well advanced by the 17th century but a grisaille background, heightened with polychrome, remained in vogue even at the end of the 19th century. On the present example this has been used to great effect in conjunction with the texture of the enamel to create an illusion of three dimensions. The use of Renaissance period scenes and characters on this and following examples is typical, with enamel painters harking back to the early days of their art; similarly Sèvres style porcelain panels frequently show 18th century costumes and settings.