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Vienna, first quarter of the 19th century
- Case
- patinated and fire gilt bronze (ormolu), ormolu mounts
- Dial
- engine turned ormolu dial
- Movement
- anchor escapement, Viennese grande sonnerie on bells, repeater, turn-off for the strike
- Measurements
- 12¼×10¼ in
This graceful Viennese Empire clock is distinguished by its delicately sculpted case of patinated and fire-gilt bronze. A powerfully leaping stag, accompanied by a running hunting dog, carries the drum-shaped clock case upon its back. Cases fashioned from fire-gilt or patinated bronze are exceptionally rare among Viennese mantel clocks of the first half of the 19th century, as most timepieces of the period were housed in carved, painted, and gilt wooden cases. A bronze clock of such refinement was already an object of great luxury at the time of its creation and today ranks as a museum-quality collector’s piece.
Both the stag and the dog are traditional companions of the goddess of the hunt, Diana (Greek: Artemis). The celebrated figural Diana centerpieces produced in Augsburg during the Renaissance may well have served as inspiration for the gifted Viennese bronzier who created this dynamic design. These silver table ornaments were displayed in many of Europe’s renowned cabinets of art and curiosities and feature similarly rendered stags likewise accompanied by hunting dogs.
The movement, equipped with an anchor escapement, features the so-called Viennese grande sonnerie – a sophisticated variation of the quarter-hour striking mechanism. This striking train sounds both the quarter hours and the full hours and requires two mainspring barrels for its operation. With its magnificent and highly unusual sculptural case, this exquisite timepiece stands as a showpiece of Viennese Empire horology.