Garniture
Artist
Maker unknown
(French)
Date1860-1870
MediumGilded cast metal, porcelain
DimensionsOverall: 21 1/4 x 19 x 6in. (54 x 48.3 x 15.2cm)
ClassificationsT&E FOR TIMEKEEPING
Credit LineMuseum Purchase
Terms
Object number60.143.1-3
DescriptionFrench doree mantel clock and urns; cherubs, columns, painted reservesOn View
On viewCollections
Copyright<a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/"><img alt="Creative Commons License" style="border-width:0" src="https://i.creativecommons.org/l/by-nc/4.0/80x15.png" /></a><br />This work is licensed under a <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License</a>.
Label TextDuring the nineteenth century tasteful French, and later American, interiors showcased ornate ormolu-mounted (gilded bronze) porcelain, often in the form of mantel garnitures. This ornate garniture flaunts the skills of a clockmaker, a porcelain manufacturer, and a metal smith. Hand-painted porcelain with music imagery highlights the sculptural set, which features three-dimensional ormolu figures and foliage. The forms of all three pieces in the set are classically inspired, the base of the clock recalling a Greek temple. The functionality of the pieces is secondary to the rich ornamentation and role as a status symbol.
