Large neoclassical clock "à la Geoffrin" in finely... Lot 212

Large neoclassical clock "à la Geoffrin" in finely chased and gilded bronze, decorated with knotted ribbons, pine cones and female figures in term. It depicts a seated woman dressed in antique style, leaning against a post and reading, symbolizing an allegory of study. The dial, signed OLIN A PARIS, is surmounted by a sphere. The whole rests on a base decorated with a Greek frieze. Paris. Louis XVI period. H_45 cm W_64 cm D_22 cm Slight wear to the gilding. The first mention of the "emploi du temps" model appears in Madame Geoffrin's notebooks, where she describes it: "...Ma pendule de Guyard, elle m'est revenu à 3.000 livres parce que j'en ai fait faire le modèle; elle est l'original". Christian BAULEZ, Chief Curator of the Château de Versailles, demonstrated in L'Estampille - l'Objet d'Art - April 1989, that the reference to Guyard refers to the sculptor Guyard, a pupil of Bouchardon, who was strongly recommended to Marigny by Madame Geoffrin. While Madame Geoffrin used the talents of Christophe Bouquet for the clock supplied to the Marquis de Marigny, it would appear that the founder Edme Roy was the appointed founder for subsequent examples. In fact, in the latter's after-death inventory of 1764, two examples of this model are described, including one "modèle". Bibliography : Les Bronzes Dorés Français, Pierre Verlet. Picard Editeur - 1987. Pages 48 and 307 Vergoldete Bronzen. Hans Ottomeyer - Peter Pröschel. Klinkhardt & Biermann. München - 1986 Pages 160 and 532 L'Estampille - l'Objet d'Art N° 224. April 1989