Chopin à Paris
'Pendule L'Afrique' an Empire patinated and gilt bronze allegorical mantel clock after the design dated 1799 by Jean-Simon Deverberie (1784–1824), adorned with allegory figure, seated female figure wearing feather dress with enamel eyes, accompanied by a panther, carrying a bow and an arrow, on shaped oval base with frieze of festoons and putti, raised on toupee feet, white enamel dial signed 'Chopin à Paris'. France, early 19th century. H. 46 cm. W. 39 cm. D. 16 cm.
Literature: Hans Ottomeyer and Peter Pröschel, “Vergoldete Bronzen”, 1986, p. 381, pl. 5.15.25, illustrating an identical Deverberie case signed on the dial Gaulin à Paris. Tardy, “Les Plus Belles Pendules Françaises”, 1994, pp. 246–7, illustrating Deverberie’s original drawing for the model in the Bibliothèque National and three other identical cases.Elke Niehüser, “Die Französische Bronzeuhr”, 1997, p. 146, pl. 236, showing an identical case with dial signed Ridel à Paris. Pierre Kjellberg, “Encyclopédie de la Pendule Française du Moyen Age au XXe Siècle”, 1997, p. 351, featuring an identical clock with dial signed Thiéry à Paris.
This clock and others with similar themes appeared at the end of the 18th century in response to the appeal of Jean-Jacques Rousseau's idealized “homme naturel” as portrayed in popular literature.
Condition report on request. Please contact: furniture@bruun-rasmussen.dk
Furniture, carpets & varia, 26 February 2020