Rare Louis XVI Clock, Carrara Marble, Gilded Bronze, and Lapis Lazuli

This Louis XVI clock is crafted from white marble and gilded bronze. It rests on a curved rectangular base, adorned with a beaded frieze and decorative motifs in gilded bronze. The circular white enamel dial is framed by a gilded garland and features Roman or Arabic numerals to indicate the time, along with finely chiseled hands.
Two figures sculpted in gilded bronze frame the clock: a woman draped in an ancient gown, perhaps a muse or an allegory of wisdom and knowledge, and a faun holding a staff, evoking nature, celebration, and the Dionysian spirit of Greco-Roman mythology. This juxtaposition could represent the balance between wisdom and instinct, culture and nature, temperance and excess. The medallion atop the clock is set with lapis lazuli, a deep blue semiprecious stone often associated with royalty and the divine, as well as truth and wisdom.
This clock is characteristic of the Louis XVI style (second half of the 18th century); a style distinguished by its classical inspiration, symmetry, refined ornamentation, and the use of noble materials such as marble and gilded bronze. The introduction of the intense blue of the lapis lazuli creates a striking contrast with the white marble and gilded bronze, further accentuating the refinement of the piece as a whole. This detail may also evoke the influence of 18th-century luxury objects, where the use of semi-precious stones (malachite, lapis lazuli, agate) was common in the ornamentation of clocks and objets d’art intended for the aristocracy and the great European courts.
The addition of lapis lazuli thus lends this clock an even more remarkable presence, blending classicism with timeless sophistication.
The movement is in perfect working order; it features a silk-thread suspension and strikes the hours and half-hours.

Ref: CUNMGKQG6W