Rare Gilt and Patinated Bronze and Red Griotte Marble Mantel Clock with Matte and Burnished Finishing
“The Egyptian”, also known as the “Thomas Hope” model
“Mesnil”
Case attributed to André-Antoine Ravrio
Paris, Empire period, circa 1805
The round white enamel dial, signed “Mesnil à Paris”, indicates the Roman numeral hours and the Arabic fifteen-minute intervals by means of two blued steel Breguet hands. The hour and half hour striking movement is housed in an architectural case with a mythological figure made of finely chased matte and burnished gilt bronze and red griotte marble. The bezel, which is adorned with knurled interlace friezes with cabochons and stylized flowers, is surrounded by a plate whose lower corners are decorated with two scarab spandrels. The case is held by a magnificent standing female figure depicting an Egyptian woman with nude torso, wearing long classical robes that are tied under the breasts; she wears a nemes headdress. Behind the figure there is a niche that is flanked by two rectangular pilasters that have elaborately decorated panels within reserves, which are adorned with low-relief hieroglyphics, including obelisks and the masks of Apis and Horus; they are surmounted by majestic sitting lions. The molded base, with rounded façade, is raised on four flattened ball feet.
In 1798 and 1801, France led expeditions into Egypt with the aim of frustrating Britain’s ambitions in the Orient, hoping to gain control of the country and dominate the region politically and economically. Led by then General Bonaparte, and afterward by his successors, this military operation, known as the French Campaign in Egypt, was also a research mission made up of eminent scientists and historians, and renowned artists. After the expedition’s return to France there were extraordinary repercussions, particularly in the field of the decorative arts. In 1802, Baron Vivant-Denon published his book Voyage dans la Basse et la Haute Egypte, which was met with great success. Afterward, architects, painters and artisans began to give their own interpretations of Egyptian models, which they then included in their own creations. In the field of the decorative arts, candelabra, consoles, flambeaux, clocks, furniture, seating, and mantelpieces were adorned with solemn female figures that were directly inspired by the monumental sculpture of Egypt during the pharaonic period.
The present unusual clock was created in that context. Its remarkable design, featuring the figure of the standing Isis who holds the dial, was created by Thomas Hope (1769-1831), an Anglo-Dutch collector, writer and decorator who had settled in London in the early 19th century and lived in a lavish home in Duchess Street. A highly talented decorator, Hope created decorative settings for his collections, among them a famous “Egyptian Room” in which he placed a clock he had designed and had executed in Paris by the bronzier Ravrio and the clockmaker Mesnil; this was the “Egyptian” clock, the same model as the present example. Today the “Hope” clock is in the Royal Pavilion Art Gallery and Museum in Brighton (see the exhibition catalogue Egyptomania, L’Egypte dans l’art occidental 1730-1930, Paris, Musée du Louvre, 1994, p. 192-193).
The clock encountered immediate success among influential collectors. Several clocks, some featuring variations in their decoration, were made. Among them, one example, signed “Ravrio bronzier” and “Mesnil Horloger”, is illustrated in H. Ottomeyer and P. Pröschel, Vergoldete Bronzen, Die Bronzearbeiten des Spätbarock und Klassizismus, Band I, Munich, 1986, p. 336, fig. 5.3.2. A second example may be seen in an image of the famous Mancel collection, taken in the mid-20th century (see S. Chadenet, Les grands styles, Les styles Empire et Restauration, Editions Baschet et Cie, Paris, p. 25, fig. 2). A third, whose dial is signed “Ravrio bronzier” and “Raguet-Lépine”, was offered at auction in Paris in 1991 (see J-D. Augarde, Les ouvriers du Temps, La pendule à Paris de Louis XIV à Napoléon Ier, Genève, 1996, p. 358, fig. 265). One further comparable clock, which does not feature the hieroglyphic-adorned pilasters, is illustrated in P. Kjellberg, Encyclopédie de la pendule française du Moyen Age au XXe siècle, Les éditions de l’Amateur, Paris, 1997, p. 381, fig. B.
Mesnil
This is evidently the signature of one of the members of the Dugrandmesnil or Dumesnil family, a dynasty of Parisian clockmakers that seems to have shortened its name during the Revolution to avoid any confusion with the aristocracy. The name Mesnil appears on many dials alongside that of Ravrio; the two regularly worked together during the Empire period. Many of these clocks were owned by important contemporary collectors; several were briefly described in the probate inventories of General Joseph-Félix Lazowski, Marquis Germain Garnier, Emmanuel-Marie-Louis, Marquis de Noailles, the French ambassador in Vienna, Louis-Alexandre Berthier, Prince of Wagram, and Napoleonic Marshal Michel Ney, Prince de la Moskowa.
André-Antoine Ravrio (1759 - 1814)
Made master bronzier in 1777, he is one of the most important Parisian bronze workers of the late 18th century and the early Empire period. Supplier of bronzes to the Imperial Garde-meuble, Ravrio helped furnish Napoleon’s residences, along with Thomire and Galle; he also worked for some of the most influential figures of the time, including Marshals of the Empire. Today certain of his works are in the collections of the Mobilier national in Paris.
Rare Gilt and Patinated Bronze Mantel Clock with the Figure of a Kneeling Egyptian
“Revel”
Case attributed to Antoine-André Ravrio
The Egyptian Figure Based on a Model by Louis-Simon Boizot
Paris, early Empire period, circa 1805
The round enamel dial, signed “Revel”, indicates the Roman numeral hours and the Arabic numeral fifteen-minute intervals, by means of two blued steel Breguet hands. It is housed in a finely chased gilt and patinated bronze case. The bezel is formed by a snake with finely chased scales. The drum case housing the movement is placed within the folds of the draped robes of a magnificent bare-breasted kneeling Egyptian woman who is wearing a nemes headdress. Beneath the dial there is a finely chased lion’s head. The base is engraved with motifs Egyptian hieroglyph motifs. The Red Griotte marble plinth is raised upon four flattened ball feet.
The unusual design of the present clock and its magnificent kneeling Egyptian figure are based on drawings by Parisian designers and architects of the late 18th century, which had been inspired by Napoleon’s Egyptian campaign (1798-1801), a military campaign that also led to the Egyptian Revival style. The fascination for Egyptian culture, history, and arts inspired many decorative objects and works of art. The well-known Recueil de décorations intérieures by Percier and Fontaine includes a sketch of an Egyptian-inspired clock; that clock is also shown in C. Huchet de Quénetain’s Les styles Consulat et Empire, Paris, p. 88, fig. 55. Similar kneeling figures were also used in bronze furnishings, including a pair of candlesticks that is illustrated in G. and R. Wannenes, Les bronzes ornementaux et les objets montés de Louis XIV à Napoléon III, Milan, 2004, p. 372. A fender that was in the Empress’s bedroom in Laeken Palace is today in the Mobilier national à Paris (see M-F. Dupuy-Baylet, L’Heure, Le Feu, La Lumière, Les bronzes du Mobilier national 1800-1870, Dijon, 2010, p. 148, catalogue n° 78).
The kneeling Egyptian woman, almost certainly based on a model by sculptor Louis-Simon Boizot (1743-1809), was used by the bronze caster Antoine-André Ravrio for particularly elaborate clocks similar to the present clock. Only a small number of identical clocks are known to exist. Among them, one gilt bronze clock whose dial is signed “Janvier”, is today in a private collection (see M. Hayard, Antide Janvier 1751-1835, Horloger des étoiles, Sa vie à travers son œuvre, 2011, p. 272). A second example, whose dial is signed “Barrand”, is illustrated in P. Kjellberg, Encyclopédie de la pendule française du Moyen Age au XXe siècle, Les éditions de l’Amateur, Paris, 1997, p. 383. One further clock was formerly in the collection of Daniel Brunet, a member of the Institute (sold in Paris, Mes Couturier-Nicolay, Palais d’Orsay, February 15, 1978, lot 28).
Joseph-Marie Revel (? - 1811)
Very little is known about this clockmaker, who was nevertheless very famous during his lifetime. Briefly mentioned in the Tardy’s Dictionnaire des horlogers under the name of Joseph Revel, he was actually named Joseph-Marie; he died in Paris in 1811. After becoming a master on August 12, 1775, he opened a workshop in the Vieille rue du Temple, and was mentioned in the Palais Royal from 1787 to 1790, in the Palais Egalité around 1800, and in the Palais Tribunat from 1804 to 1806. Several probate inventories dating from the early decades of the 19th century mention a number of his clocks; a clock by Revel was estimated in 1817 after the death of Adélaïde de Lespinasse-Langeac, the wife of the chevalier de Costalin; in 1821 another was in the collection of the Countess de Medem, Anne-Charlotte-Dorothée, the widow of the powerful Duke de Courlande.
André-Antoine Ravrio (1759 - 1814)
Made master bronzier in 1777, he is one of the most important Parisian bronze workers of the late 18th century and the early Empire period. Supplier of bronzes to the Imperial Garde-meuble, Ravrio helped furnish Napoleon’s residences, along with Thomire and Galle; he also worked for some of the most influential figures of the time, including Marshals of the Empire. Today certain of his works are in the collections of the Mobilier national in Paris.
Important Red Griotte Marble and Gilt and Patinated Bronze Mantel Clock with Allegorical Figure
“Manière”
Case Attributed to Claude Galle
Paris, early Empire period, circa 1805
The round enamel dial, signed “Maniere à Paris”, indicates the Roman numeral hours and the outermost fifteen-minute graduations by means of two pierced gilt bronze hands. It bears the mark of Georges-Adrien Merlet, one of the best contemporary Parisian enamellers and the most important rival of Joseph Coteau and Dubuisson. The movement is housed in a hexagonal case whose engine-turned bezel is decorated with beading and whose sides are adorned with four-petalled flowers. It rests upon the knees of a woman dressed in antique draperies who is sitting on a square pillar adorned with leaf friezes. The oblong red griotte marble base has a rounded, protruding façade; it is raised upon five flattened ball feet.
The unusual design of the present clock was inspired by ancient Greek and Egyptian sculpture. The solemn seated female figure appeared in the early years of the 19th century and became quite popular, as attest the similar clocks with variations, of which a small number has survived to the present.
Among these, one clock in which the figure is holding a tablet is shown in P. Heuer and K. Maurice, European Pendulum Clocks, Decorative Instruments of Measuring Time, Munich, 1988, p. 85, fig. 150. A second, similar clock, whose dial is signed “Piolaine”, is in the Pavlovsk Palace in Saint Petersburg (see A. Kuchumov, Pavlovsk, Palace & Park, Leningrad, 1975, fig. 163). Another model, today in the Musée de la Malmaison, and which was delivered circa 1800-1803 to the Château de Saint-Cloud, appears to be the same example that was in the 1825 sale of the collection of the architect Hurtault, in which the name of the sculptor of the female figure was mentioned: “… the antique green bronze figure is by the sculptor M. Masson…” (see the exhibition catalogue La mesure du Temps dans les collections de Malmaison, May 29, 1991-15 September 1991, RMN, Paris, p. 12, catalogue n° 5). One further clock, identical to the present example, and which is thought to be an allegory of Night, is in the Museo de Relojes de las Bodegas; it has been attributed to the famous Parisian bronze caster Claude Galle (see E. Niehüser, Die Französische Bronzeuhr, Munich, 1997, fig. 468; see also L. Montanés, Catalogo ilustrado del Museo de relojes, Fundacion Andrés de Ribera, Jerez de la Frontera, 1982, p. 101; catalogue n° 171).
Charles-Guillaume Hautemanière (? - 1834)
Charles-Guillaume Hautemanière, known as Manière (mort à Paris en 1834) is one of the most important Parisian clockmakers of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, he became a Master on May 1, 1778, and opened a workshop in the rue du Four-Saint-Honoré. He immediately became famous among connoisseurs of fine horology. Throughout his career, Manière sourced his clock cases from the best Parisian bronze casters and chasers, including Pierre-Philippe Thomire, François Rémond, Edmé Roy and Claude Galle. Marchands-merciers such as Dominique Daguerre and Martin-Eloi Lignereux called upon him to make clocks for the most influential collectors of the time, including the Prince de Salm, the banker Perregaux and the financier Micault de Courbeton, all three of whom were collectors of fine and rare horological pieces. Today, his clocks are found in the most important international private and public collections, including the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, the Musée national du château de Fontainebleau, the Quirinal Palace in Rome, the Nissim de Camondo Museum in Paris and the Musée national du château de Versailles et des Trianons.
Claude Galle (1759 - 1815)
One of the foremost bronziers and fondeur-ciseleurs of the late Louis XVI and Empire periods, Claude Galle was born at Villepreux near Versailles. He served his apprenticeship in Paris under the fondeur Pierre Foy, and in 1784 married Foy’s daughter. In 1786 he became a maitre-fondeur. After the death of his father-in-law in 1788, Galle took over his workshop, soon turning it into one the finest, and employing approximately 400 craftsmen. Galle moved to Quai de la Monnaie (later Quai de l’Unité), and then in 1805 to 60 Rue Vivienne.
The Garde-Meuble de la Couronne, under the direction of sculptor Jean Hauré from 1786-88, entrusted him with many commissions. Galle collaborated with many excellent artisans, including Pierre-Philippe Thomire, and furnished the majority of the furnishing bronzes for the Château de Fontainebleau during the Empire. He received many other Imperial commissions, among them light fittings, figural clock cases, and vases for the palaces of Saint-Cloud, the Trianons, the Tuileries, Compiègne, and Rambouillet. He supplied several Italian palaces, such as Monte Cavallo, Rome and Stupinigi near Turin.
In spite of his success, and due in part to his generous and lavish lifestyle, as well as to the failure of certain of his clients (such as the Prince Joseph Bonaparte) to pay what they owed, Galle often found himself in financial difficulty. Galle’s business was continued by his son after his death by his son, Gérard-Jean Galle (1788-1846). Today his work may be found in the world’s most important museums and collections, those mentioned above, as well as the Musée National du Château de Malmaison, the Musée Marmottan in Paris, the Museo de Reloges at Jerez de la Frontera, the Residenz in Munich, and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
Rare White Carrara marble and Gilt and Patinated Bronze Mantel Clock
“Le Vol à Paris”
Case Attributed to François Rémond
Paris, late Louis XVI period, circa 1785-1790
The round enamel dial, signed “Le Vol à Paris”, indicates the Roman numeral hours, and the fifteen-minute Arabic numeral minutes and date, by means of two pierced gilt bronze hands and one blued steel hand. The neoclassical case is made of white marble and finely chased gilt and patinated bronze. The movement is housed in a drum case that is surmounted by an entablature upon which stands a vase issuing a bouquet of fruit and leaves whose swags fall to either side of the case. It is set upon a valance-covered stretcher that is carried by two magnificent sphinxes, which are proudly seated upon their haunches on two plinths, and wear plumed flower and leaf crowns. The rectangular base is richly decorated with applied chased and gilt bronze leaf and twisted rope friezes, trophies with ribbon-tied arrows and a central arabesque motif representing a flaming torch flanked by two trumpeting putti with bodies terminating in scrolling vines with bunches of grapes. The clock is raised upon four chased feet.
An early example of the Egyptomania that reigned in France during the reign of Louis XVI, this clock is one of the finest Parisian horological creations of its time. It is inspired by the work of contemporary designers, and particularly an engraving by Jean-François Forty which is illustrated in P. Kjellberg, Encyclopédie de la pendule française du Moyen Age au XXe siècle, Paris, 1997, p. 173, fig. C, as well as by a drawing by architect François-Joseph Bélanger (1744-1818) which depicts a clock that was delivered in 1781 for the Count d’Artois’s Salon in the Bagatelle pavilion; an “Artois model” clock is in the Wallace Collection in London (see Tardy, La pendule française, 2ème partie : Du Louis XVI à nos jours, Paris, 1975, p. 239).
The present example stands out for the seated position of the sphinxes, which is also found on a few other rare contemporary examples. Of these, one example was made by Godon for the King of Spain; it is today in the Royal Spanish Collection (illustrated in J. Ramon Colon de Carvajal, Catalogo de Relojes del Patrimonio nacional, Madrid, 1987, p. 77, catalogue n° 61). A second example, today in a private collection, is illustrated in M. Burckhardt, Mobilier Louis XVI, Editions Charles Massin, Paris, p. 25. A third example, which is particularly elaborate and is richly decorated with allegorical figures, was formerly in the Chappey collection (illustrated in P. Kjellberg, op.cit., Paris, 1997, p. 258, fig. A); Lepaute delivered one further such clock to the Count d’Artois; it is today displayed in the King’s Chamber in the Petit Trianon (see the exhibition catalogue Le château de Versailles raconte le Mobilier national, Quatre siècles de création, Paris, 2011, p. 149-151).
François Rémond (circa 1747 - 1812)
Along with Pierre Gouthière, he was one of the most important Parisian chaser-gilders of the last third of the 18th century. He began his apprenticeship in 1763 and became a master chaser-gilder in 1774. His great talent quickly won him a wealthy clientele, including certain members of the Court. Through the marchand-mercier Dominique Daguerre, François Rémond was involved in furnishing the homes of most of the important collectors of the late 18th century, supplying them with exceptional clock cases, firedogs, and candelabra. These elegant and innovative pieces greatly contributed to his fame.
Important White Marble and Gilt Bronze Sphinx Mantel Clock
“The Sacrifice to Love“
The Movement Attributed to Joseph-Marie Revel
The Bronzes Attributed to François Rémond
Paris, late Louis XVI period, circa 1785-1790
Provenance:
– Probably formerly in the collection of Gaston Menier (sold in Paris, Me Glandaz, November 24, 1936, lot 75).
The blue and gold enamel semi-circular dial apertures indicate the Roman numeral hours and Arabic numeral minutes; the movement is housed in a white marble and finely chased gilt bronze case. The clock is surmounted by two winged sphinxes that are wearing plumed nemes headdresses, on either side of a baluster vase that rests on a gilt bronze leg and is adorned with beadwork and a flower and leaf crown and bouquet. The clock is set upon a truncated pyramid that is decorated with flower and leaf garlands, sunflowers, and a central allegorical bas-relief representing “The Sacrifice to Love”. The square moulded base, adorned with laurel garlands decorated with lyres and centred by a mask, is raised upon four large lion’s feet that emerge from scrolling and acanthus leaves.
An early example of the Egyptomania that reigned in France during the reign of Louis XVI, this clock is one of the finest Parisian horological creations of its time. It is inspired by the work of contemporary designers, and particularly an engraving by Jean-François Forty which is illustrated in P. Kjellberg, Encyclopédie de la pendule française du Moyen Age au XXe siècle, Paris, 1997, p. 173, fig. C, as well as by a drawing by architect François-Joseph Bélanger (1744-1818) which depicts a clock that was delivered in 1781 for the Count d’Artois’s Salon in the Bagatelle pavilion; an “Artois model” clock is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York (see H. Ottomeyer and P. Pröschel, Vergoldete Bronzen, Die Bronzearbeiten des Spätbarock und Klassizismus, Band I, Munich, 1986, p. 280, fig. 4.13.4).
The present clock stands out for the quality of its chasing, which supports its attribution to François Rémond. It is also unusual for the seated position of the sphinxes, a position that is found on the other rare similar examples of the period. One of these was made by Godon for the King of Spain, which is in the Royal Spanish Collections (illustrated in J. Ramon Colon de Carvajal, Catalogo de Relojes del Patrimonio nacional, Madrid, 1987, p. 77, catalogue n° 61).
Only three other identical clocks are known to exist: the first, sold at auction in Paris in 1962, is illustrated in Tardy, La pendule française, 2ème partie: Du Louis XVI à nos jours, Paris, 1975, p. 359, fig. 1; the second is displayed in the red Salon of the Château de Rosersberg, the residence of the Swedish royal family (illustrated in H. Groth, Châteaux en Suède, intérieurs et mobilier néoclassiques 1770-1850, Paris, 1990, p. 140); the movement of the third clock is signed Revel, which supports our attribution of the present example to that well-known Parisian clockmaker. It is illustrated in E. Niehüser, Die französische Bronzeuhr, Eine Typologie der figürlichen Darstellungen, Munich, 1997, p. 251, fig. 1079.
Joseph-Marie Revel (? - 1811)
Very little is known about this clockmaker, who was nevertheless very famous during his lifetime. Briefly mentioned in the Tardy’s Dictionnaire des horlogers under the name of Joseph Revel, he was actually named Joseph-Marie; he died in Paris in 1811. After becoming a master on August 12, 1775, he opened a workshop in the Vieille rue du Temple, and was mentioned in the Palais Royal from 1787 to 1790, in the Palais Egalité around 1800, and in the Palais Tribunat from 1804 to 1806. Several probate inventories dating from the early decades of the 19th century mention a number of his clocks; a clock by Revel was estimated in 1817 after the death of Adélaïde de Lespinasse-Langeac, the wife of the chevalier de Costalin; in 1821 another was in the collection of the Countess de Medem, Anne-Charlotte-Dorothée, the widow of the powerful Duke de Courlande.
François Rémond (circa 1747 - 1812)
Along with Pierre Gouthière, he was one of the most important Parisian chaser-gilders of the last third of the 18th century. He began his apprenticeship in 1763 and became a master chaser-gilder in 1774. His great talent quickly won him a wealthy clientele, including certain members of the Court. Through the marchand-mercier Dominique Daguerre, François Rémond was involved in furnishing the homes of most of the important collectors of the late 18th century, supplying them with exceptional clock cases, firedogs, and candelabra. These elegant and innovative pieces greatly contributed to his fame.
Rare Terra Cotta “Egyptian” Mantel Clock
“Egyptian Urania or Allegory of Geometry“
Terra Cotta Case Attributed to Louis-Simon Boizot or his Workshop
Paris, Consulate period, circa 1800
The round enamel dial, signed “Lepine Place Victoire”, indicates the hours in Roman numerals and the five-minute intervals in Arabic numerals, by means of two gilt bronze Breguet hands. The very fine case modelled entirely in patinated terra cotta; the gilt bronze bezel is chased with beading and a frieze of stylised motifs. The whole rests upon a fragmentary stele or antique cippus, that is engraved with Egyptian hieroglyphs and covered by a drapery issuing from the long tunic worn by the seated female figure. Her drapery partially reveals her breasts; she is wearing an Egyptian nemes headdress with a central star and a band with hieroglyphs on her forehead. She is turning toward the spectator and tracing a geometric figure on parchment with a stylus. At her feet lies a pole wrapped with a parchment that is covered with faint inscriptions. The base is treated naturalistically, in an imitation of rocks with scattered, stylised tufts of grass.
The unusual design of this clock illustrates the influence of Egyptian culture on the French decorative arts, as a result of the well-known Egyptian Campaign led by Napoleon Bonaparte from 1798 to 1801. This campaign, the aim of which was to seize control of the Orient, gave rise to a new trend: Egyptomania, or the fascination by Europeans for the culture, the history, and arts of ancient Egypt. The clock’s material, terra cotta, is also unusual. At the time, the great majority of clocks were made of marble and gilt and/or patinated bronze. The fact that the present clock was modelled in terra cotta may suggest that the sculptor later intended to cast the model – though perfectly finished in its present state – in bronze, at a later date. This hypothesis is supported by the existence of a nearly identical type of clock in marble and bronze, an example of which is in the collections of the Geneva Musée d’art et d’histoire (illustrated in H. Ottomeyer and P. Pröschel, Vergoldete Bronzen, Band I, Munich, 1986, p. 338).
The attribution of this model to Louis-Simon Boizot or his workshop is suggested by the exceptional creativity of that workshop; Boizot was one of the principal proponents of the Egyptian style in Parisian horology at the time. He created several unusual clocks with Egyptian figures, which were subsequently cast by talented bronziers such as François Rémond. One such example was created by Boizot and cast by Rémond; it is today in the Prague Museum of Decorative Arts (see the exhibition catalogue Louis-Simon Boizot (1743-1809), Musée Lambinet, Versailles, 2002, p. 292).
Pierre-Claude Raguet-Lépine
Royal clockmaker Pierre-Claude Raguet, known as Raguet-Lépine after his father-in-law Jean-Antoine I Lépine, with whom he worked closely, he was born in Dôle, and in 1782 married Jean-Antoine’s daughter Pauline. Having already invested 16,000 livres in his future father-in law’s business, he purchased a third share in 1783 and eventually took over the business in June 1784, using the name “Lépine à Paris, Horloger du Roi”. Raguet-Lépine was a member of the jury responsible for choosing a new Republican time system (1793); in 1805 he became Horloger breveté de Sa Majesté l’Impératrice-Reine, and four years later was named Horloger de l’Impératrice Joséphine. His clientele included Napoleon I, Jérôme, King of Westphalia, Charles IV King of Spain, the princes Talleyrand, Kourakine (the Russian Ambassador) Schwarzenberg (the Austrian Ambassador), the comte de Provence and Louis XV’s daughters at the Château de Bellevue.
Due to his success he employed a large workforce, including several of his relatives: Jean-Antoine II Lépine who managed the workshop, Jean-Louis Lépine in Geneva and Jacques Lépine in Kassel, Germany. His cases were supplied by the renowned bronziers Pierre-Philippe Thomire, F. Rémond, F. Vion, E. Martincourt, the Feuchères and Duports; his dials by such fine enamellists as Coteau, Dubuisson, Cave, Merlet and Barbichon. Today Raguet-Lépine’s work may be seen in the Louvre, the Château de Compiègne, the British Royal Collection, the Musée International d’Horlogerie at La Chaux-de-Fonds, the Deutsches Uhrenmuseum Furtwangen, the Schloss Wilhemshöhe Kassel, the Patrimonio Nacional in Spain, the Hermitage in Saint Petersburg, the Detroit Institute of Arts and the Minneapolis Institute of Arts.
Louis-Simon Boizot (1743 - 1809)
The son of Antoine Boizot, a designer at the Gobelins tapestry manufacture, Boizot worked in the atelier of sculptor René-Michel Slodtz (1705–1764), who also trained Houdon. Boizot married Marguerite Virginie Guibert, the daughter of sculptor Honoré Guibert. In 1778 he was admitted to the Académie royale de peinture et de sculpture and exhibited at the yearly salons until 1800. His portrait busts of Louis XVI and Joseph II were created in 1777 and made in bisque porcelain at Sèvres.
From 1773 to 1800 Boizot directed the sculpture workshop of the Sèvres porcelain Manufactory, producing the series of unglazed biscuit figures with a matte finish resembling that of marble.
Boizot also created terracotta designs for gilt-bronze clock cases, such as that of the allegorical “Avignon” clock in the Wallace Collection in London, which was cast and chased by Pierre Gouthière in 1777.
