Empire clock. France, ca. 1825

Empire clock. France, ca. 1825.
Gilt bronze and porcelain dial.
Signed on the dial "Pillard a Troyes".
Measurements: 45 x 35 x 11.5 cm.
Table clock, made in France around ca. 1825. Its gilt bronze structure shows the influence of neoclassical forms, with a marked sense of symmetry and inspiration from classical antiquity, especially Roman and Greek.
The clock features a female figure dressed in a classical drapery that evokes Greco-Roman aesthetics. Next to her is an inkwell with a cupid inside, as well as a flaming torch, decorative elements loaded with symbolism that refer to the light of knowledge and love, recurring themes in the neoclassical imaginary.
The porcelain dial, delicately signed by Pillard à Troyes, evidences the quality and prestige of the manufacturer, linked to the French watchmaking tradition of great precision and technical excellence.
This watch is a reflection of the historicist trend that lasted in the French decorative arts beyond the heyday of the Napoleonic Empire, adapting to the tastes and demands of the European public during the interwar period.