Jean-Gabriel Imbert
“Imbert l’aîné”
Clockmaker
Jean-Gabriel Imbert is one of the most important Parisian clockmakers of the last quarter of the 18th century. Exercising at first as an independent, he became a maître in 1776 and opened his own workshop. Rapidly gaining fame, he was elected deputy of his corporation in 1780. Like all the best clockmakers of the time, the finest artisans of the day furnished his clock cases and dials, including the bronziers Bonnet, Morlay, Osmond and Poisson, and the enamellers Barbezat and Merlet. During the 18th century, his clocks were acquired by the most influential connoisseurs, such as the Marquis de Brunoy, the Duke des Deux-Ponts, the Viscount de Rochechouart and the wife of the extremely wealthy Farmer General Jean-Maurice de Faventines.