Napoleon III clock; France, late 18th century.

Napoleon III clock; France, late 18th century.
Bronze and marble.
Preserves key.
It has no pendulum and has faults.
Signed on the dial "Housquains a Vancemcienes".
Measurements: 39 x 48 x 18 cm.
This Napoleon III style clock, originally from France towards the end of the 18th century, is a decorative piece made of black marble and gilded and patinated bronze. The design stands out for its elegance and richness of ornamental details, characteristic of the historicist and opulent aesthetics of the Second Empire.
The base of the clock is worked in marble, with sober architectural lines that contrast with the decorative elements in bronze, such as garlands, corner masks and vegetal moldings that enhance its structure. The center houses the clock face, with a white enameled background and black Roman numerals, surrounded by a circular frame of finely carved bronze.
At the top, the sculptural composition represents Eros and Psyche, in a dynamic and affectionate attitude, cast in bronze with a dark patinated finish. This scene, charged with lyricism and symbolism, probably alludes to love or childlike innocence, recurring themes in the decorative art of the period.
The ensemble, both for its materials and its detailed execution, reflects the craftsmanship and refinement typical of French watchmaking and decorative sculpture of the late 18th century, still in transition to the eclectic and theatrical taste of the 19th century.