Louis XVI style harness; France, late 19th century.

Louis XVI style harness; France, late nineteenth century.
Bronze marble.
No key or pendulum.
Measurements: 59 x 27 x 20 cm; 49 x 29 x 15 x 15 cm.
It consists of a central clock and two side candelabra, is a refined example of the Louis XVI style, produced in France towards the end of the nineteenth century, during the rise of historicism and the reinterpretation of classical artistic styles.
The centerpiece is a clock mounted on a pedestal of dark, finely veined marble, which serves as the base for a sculptural ensemble in gilded and patinated bronze. Crowning the clock is a classically inspired bust, probably Dionysus or Bacchus, as indicated by the bunches of grapes in his hair and the ecstatic expression on his face. Next to him, a golden putti playfully ascends, reinforcing the Bacchic theme with an iconography of abundance and enjoyment. At the bottom of the pedestal, another putti, also gilded, appears to offer bunches of grapes, establishing a circular narrative of movement and joy.
Flanking the clock, candelabra complete the composition. Each is formed by a dark-skinned, patinated bronze figure of a child, dressed in golden cloths and vegetal crowns. They elegantly hold curved arms topped with two candle lights, decorated with leaves and scrolls of vegetal inspiration. The bases repeat the veined marble of the clock, ensuring a visual harmony throughout the entire fixture.
The Louis XVI style, which emerged during the second half of the 18th century, marked a reaction against the exuberance of Rococo, embracing instead a taste for sobriety, symmetry and inspiration from Greco-Roman antiquity. This style made a strong comeback during the 19th century, especially in the second half, when historicism led artists and craftsmen to reinterpret past styles as signs of good taste, stability and scholarship.
The garrison described here responds to this neoclassical aesthetic, both in its architectural form and in the mythological and pastoral themes it evokes. These compositions were popular in the bourgeois and aristocratic salons of the 19th century, where they functioned as symbols of refinement, culture and wealth. The combination of gilded bronze with marble was particularly appreciated for its sumptuousness and resistance to the passage of time.
These types of fittings were not only decorative elements, but true declarations of status. Their elaboration required the collaboration of highly skilled sculptors, bronze workers, watchmakers and marble workers. The anatomical detail, the expressiveness of the faces, and the compositional balance reveal a technical mastery at the service of sophisticated ornamentation. The use of the Bacchic theme refers to the exaltation of pleasures, a constant in the European artistic imaginary since the Renaissance.