Table clock. France, Napoleon III, third quarter of the nineteenth century.

Table clock. France, Napoleon III, third quarter of the nineteenth century.
In the manner of Sèvres.
Suspension silk thread (broken).
In biscuit and gilded bronze.
Presents faults and restorations.
Measurements: 35 x 32 x 12 cm; 6 x 34 x 18 cm (base).

This table clock is representative of the eclectic and historicist style of the Second French Empire (Napoleon III). Inspired by the production of the famous Sèvres manufacture, it combines biscuit sculpture with gilded bronze details.

On this box stands a symbolic sculptural ensemble. In the center is a bearded male bust with a veil around his head. This iconography suggests a figure of wisdom or ancient philosophy, possibly Socrates, symbol of critical and moral thought. To his right, a female figure of Greco-Roman inspiration, with classical clothing and static gesture, holds what looks like a hammer, evoking work, construction or perhaps one of the applied or manual arts. To the left of the central bust, we find an amulet or putto, with pen and writing tablet, a clear allegory of writing, learning or intellectual creativity.

The whole is topped with rosettes and details in gilded bronze, which serve as unifying elements and give a precious air of controlled luxury, typical of the decorative style of the Second Empire.