French Empire Troubadour Mantel Clock

This resplendent French Empire gilt bronze mantel clock features an extraordinarily detailed scene of a singing troubadour with his lyre along a rocky river bank. Accompanied by a winged Cupid suspended gracefully in flight and a poetic inscription, this troubadour clock is the essence of Neoclassical refinement that defined the aristocratic tastes of the Empire period. This clock's exquisite ormolu case evokes the rough-hewn rockery and wave pattern of a babbling brook, placing the troubadour and Cupid in an idyllic pastoral landscape. One of the rock faces is inscribed with a poetic meditation on love in French that translates to: "In his youth the troubadour / Love's sweet song did sing / But the practicing of love / Adult years did bring!" Visually striking and thought-provoking, this mantel clock would have served as the utmost expression of Empire luxury and sophistication. The craftsmanship of this extraordinary clock also sets it apart among these elaborate timepieces. The cl