French marble and spelter three-piece clock set after Moreau

This clock set is comprised of a central mantel clock and a pair of flanking en suite candelabra, with the three pieces crafted from green-grey veined marble, gilt metal, and spelter.

The mantel clock features a shaped green-grey marble base, raised on four rocaille-like gilt metal feet. The base is centred with a white enamel dial, inscribed with Arabic numeral hour indices and painted with delicate floral sprays. The dial is set within a moulded bezel, which is in turn surrounded by an elaborate gilt metal frame. The case is surmounted by a large and impressive spelter sculpture of a young woman, who is rendered in an expressive and animated pose.

The figure, known as La Semeuse, or ‘The Sower’, is after a work by the medallist Oscar Roty; the young woman, allegorical of the energy and fecundity of France and the French people, is portrayed scattering seed from a bag of grain. Roty’s figure was realised in the round by Auguste Moreau, and the present piece is after Moreau’s original bronze.

The pair of candelabra are similarly decorated, each raised on a similar grey-green marble base, and each featuring a richly modelled spelter stem issuing five scrolling light branches.

The figure atop the clock is affixed with a plaque reading ‘Semeuse / par Aug. Moreau Medaille d’Or’

Clock: Height 81cm, width 40cm, depth 23cm
Candelabra: Height 74cm, width 31cm, depth 31cm