Empire clock. France, ca. 1806. Attributed to Thomire

Empire clock attributed to PIERRE-PHILIPPE THOMIRE (Paris, 1751- 1843), after CLAUDE MICHALLON (Paris, 1752-1799). France, ca. 1805.
"À l'amour couronné".
Gilded bronze.
In good condition.
Sphere inscribed on the base.
Measurements: 96 x 57 x 29 cm.

Monumental Empire clock attributed to the bronze artist Pierre-Philippe Thomire, based on the prolific model made by the sculptor Claude Michallon. It is a piece with a stepped base on the upper part of which is the dial, with Roman numerals lacquered in black and bordered by a classic border. As in Michallon's model, on the body of the clock rest the figures of Cupid and Psyche worked in patinated bronze: Psyche places a crown on Cupid, while he brings his hand to her cheek in a delicate gesture full of love and tenderness. Formally, the position of the bodies stands out, denoting Michallon's savoir faire, as well as the careful detail of the modeling in the anatomy and in the qualities. The attribution of the design to Michallon (d. 1799) derives from an 1816 invoice by Feuchère for Würzburg in which he mentions this "pendulum of Psyché couronnant l'amour groupe modelé par feu Michallon".
Pierre Philippe Thomire was a French sculptor known, above all, for his work in gilded bronze, thanks to which he became the leading caster in France at the end of the 18th century, with an important workshop established in 1775. His career saw a surprising improvement when he began assisting Jean-Claude-Thomas Duplessis, the artistic director of the Manufacture de Porcelaine de Sèvres, and, when the latter died in 1783, Thomire continued his work, creating the bronze mounts for works that combined it with porcelain. Such was his success that he continued to work during the French Revolution. In 1804 he expanded the business by buying the workshop of a cabinetmaker, which allowed him to work with furniture. He worked for Napoleon and also did so after the fall of Napoleon, retiring at the age of 72 and, even then, continuing with his creation in sculpture (he exhibited at the Salon de Paris). Claude Michallon was a French sculptor trained at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris, a student of Charles-Antoine Bridan (1730-1805) and Guillaume Coustou. In 1785 he won the grand prize for sculpture with a bas-relief representing Brutus. He studied at the Académie de France in Rome for six years, until 1791. When he returned to Paris, he received commissions for colossal statues and won several prizes awarded by the Committee of Public Information. He competed for several projects in Paris. Claude Michallon presented his marble group d'Aconce et Cydippe at the Paris Salon in 1793, and created several models for watch cases, such as Cupid and Psychée. Among others, Pierre-Philippe Thomire cast bronzes closely following his models.