Napoleon III Garrison, second third of the 19th century.

Napoleon III harness, second third of the nineteenth century.
Gilded bronze and marble.
Measurements: 62 x 49 x 18 cm; 68 x 25 cm.
This sumptuous harness of the Napoleon III period, dated in the second third of the 19th century, is a splendid example of the ornamental historicism characteristic of the French Second Empire. Executed in gilded bronze and patinated on white marble, the composition is integrated by a central clock and two seven-light candelabra, forming a set of strong scenographic presence, deeply influenced by the eclectic and theatrical taste of the time.
The clock, richly decorated, presents a sculptural scene that crowns the machinery: a male character dressed in Renaissance or Baroque-inspired armor, probably a military commander or allegorical figure of victory, appears in triumphant attitude. The meticulously modeled figure is highlighted by the contrasting use of dark patinated bronze and gold accents, which underscore both the textile richness of his attire and the warrior attributes surrounding him - swords, shields, banners and cannons - all arranged on a rocky base suggesting dynamism and power. Below, the body of the clock combines fluted white marble with moldings and vegetal elements in gilded bronze, among which a central cartouche with instruments of war, shields and cornucopias, symbol of glory and abundance, stands out.
The lateral candelabra, of equally exuberant design, maintain the ornamental coherence of the whole. Each one rises on a robust base of mixtilinear forms, ornamented with military and vegetal motifs, from which emerges a shaft decorated with circular shields crossed by spears, crowned by a bundle of seven curved arms that support the candle holders. The alternation between dark bronze and gilt creates a visual play of great richness and depth, typical of the decorative repertoire of French historicism.
This type of harness, conceived as much for symbolic exaltation as for aesthetic ostentation, perfectly embodies the imperial spirit of the Second Empire: an art that looks to the glorious past to affirm the present, in which technical virtuosity and formal exuberance are placed at the service of a narrative of power, elegance and historical memory.