Ormolu and Patinated Bronze Sculptural rotary clock garniture by Deniere
Price upon request
Large Important and Rare Napoleon III Period Ormolu And Patinated Bronze Sculptural rotary 3-piece clock set ("Pendule A Cercles Tournants") comprising a palatial clock and a pair of 8-light candelabras.
The clock movement contained within a terrestrial globe with enameled rings and snakes head pointer, the finely chased globe held by three putti, one kneeling by an overturned vase emblematic of the continents and oceans above a rockwork base resting on a spreading base mounted with corbels, applied with foliage and carved with guilloche.
This exceptional clock is after an eighteenth century model, one example of which is in the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum, London. (Illustrated, Tardy, French Clocks the World Over, Paris, 1981, p. 101).
Signed: Deniere A Paris.
Paris, Circa 1870
Dimensions
Clock:
Height: 31" (78.7 cm)
Width: 15" (38.1 cm)
Depth 15" (38.1 cm)
Candelabras:
Height: 34" (86.3 cm)
Width: 16" (40.6 cm)
Depth: 13" (33 cm)
Guillaume Denière (Paris, 1815-1903) studied art under the direction of the renowned French ornemanist Aimé Chenavard (1798-1838) and the architect Henri Labrouste (1801-1875). He took over from his father, established since 1804 at n°15, rue Vivienne in Paris. The firm is prosperous, with four hundred workers satisfying the numerous orders from king Louis Philippe and wealthy private clients
Following in his father’s footsteps, the son produced bronzes for furniture, candelabras, clocks and table centrepieces. He collaborated with numerous artists including Carrier-Belleuse (1848-1913) and Constant Sévin (1821-1888). He delivered several clocks (Genius of the Arts, Woman reading with a dog) for the Tuileries Palace in 1852. The table centrepieces, supple and ingenious in style, as testified by that of the Duc d’Orleans (1842) were acclaimed by the critics
His works were very often remarked at the Universal Exhibitions, to such an extent that Emperor Napoleon III bought a mantel garniture at the 1867 Universal Exhibition in Paris. His fame spread around the world
In 1854, he delivered a spectacular bronze centerpiece to the Russian Ambassador Kisselef, as well as decorative bronzes for the vice-roy of Egypt, Saïd Pacha, in 1862, and the King of Cambodia, Norodom Ist (Screen of the Throne room)
