Mantel clock

Still striking the hours today, this very fine clock was donated to the Gallery by Margaret Desenfans in her will. It is veneered with several rich materials, including red and green stained horn, turtle shell and mother of pearl, and surmounted by a dynamic winged figure representing Victory or Peace. Merely decorative, these types of figurines were developed and popularised by André-Charles Boulle (1642-1732) at the beginning of the eighteenth century. The marquetry perspective lines on the ground adds an artificial depth to the clock; a detail that illustrates the particular skill of the maker. By the close of the century, the popularity of mantel clocks had spread considerably, making them collectors' items.

Due to the popularity of this style of clock in France, it is possible that the Gallery’s founders could have purchased it from the French dealer Jean-Baptiste-Pierre Lebrun (1748-1813), who sold many paintings to Desenfans in the 1790s when French collections were being sold off at a vast rate during the Revolution (1789-99).