Pendule La Lieuse - The Reader

Dimensions: H x W x D: 30 x 30 x 15 cm

Description:
The "La Lieuse" pendulum is probably the best-known clock by the sculptor and bronze caster Jean-Andre Reiche, who was born in Leipzig and became famous in Paris.

The clock rests on finely turned, baluster-shaped feet made of fire-gilt bronze. Below the marble base is a open-worked bronze hanging with a central shell motif and tendrils extending out to the sides.

The main focus is on the figurative bronze work. It depicts a young woman - the reader - La Liseuse. She is seated on a finely crafted empire chair, which is skilfully decorated with applied acanthus tendrils and palmettes. In a slightly bent posture, she is concentrating on the book she is holding in her right hand. An oil lamp on the table provides her with light, symbolising erudition and nocturnal study.
This clock thus picks up on a central theme of the period around 1800: women's education. Although access to universities and scientific institutions remained almost exclusively reserved for men, women's literary and artistic education became increasingly important in a bourgeois context.
Behind the armchair, seated - and this is what distinguishes this clock from many comparable models - is an English bulldog. Lapdogs and specifically bred breeds were already widespread at European courts in the 17th and 18th centuries. In the early 19th century, they increasingly found their way into middle-class households. In the iconographic context of this clock, the dog can be understood as a symbol of loyalty and domesticity.

The table, which stands on paw feet and is covered by a cloth, bears the enamelled dial with black Roman numerals and the signature of the clockmaker Armingaud Lⁿᵉ à Paris on the front, whereby "Lⁿᵉ" is the abbreviation for L'aîné (the elder) - a common spelling to indicate the older master within a workshop or family.

The Armingaud workshop is documented in the Tardy - Dictionnaire des Horlogers Francais. It was run by the father (L'aîné) at Rue Meslay, Bd de la Porte St-Martin from 1806-1813 and continued by the son (Le Jeune) from 1813. It can be assumed that the signatures were made with the distinction between father and son at the time the workshop was handed over.

The movement is a French pendulum movement with a running time of one week. The pendulum is suspended from a thread, as was customary at the time. The rate is regulated via a small square above the 12 on the dial. The lock disc striking mechanism strikes on the half and full hour.

This clock bears witness to the great craftsmanship of Parisian bronze casters, chisellers and gilders in the early 19th century. The facial features of the studying woman appear concentrated, the pinned-up hairstyle is finely modelled. The drapery of her robe and the tablecloth also appear absolutely realistic.
The interplay of bright and matt gilding emphasises the different materials and makes the depiction appear even more realistic.

Condition:
Very nice condition of the bronze. There is minimal rubbing in the area of the smooth surfaces.
The movement has been thoroughly cleaned and overhauled. It runs perfectly.

Price: 5700,- €.

Comparable models can be found in the specialised literature: