Page 106 - Pascal Izarn catalogue 2024
P. 106
AIR OF LARGE DIRECTOIRE GILT BRONZE URNS – CIRCA
1795-1799
Decorated with a frieze representing Apollo’s chariot, Mercury, Clio the Muse of History, Urania the
Muse of Astronomy and a female personification of Geography
Height: 62 cm. (24 ½ in.) Diameter: 24.5 cm. (9 ¾ in.) Width and depth of base: 17.6 cm. (7 in.)
This pair of urns illustrates the transition in taste from the late 18th to the early 19th century.
The register of the circular frieze depicting Clio, Urania and a personification of Geography is
typical of the late Louis XVI style. The opposing section representing Apollo in his chariot and
Mercury is closer to that of the Empire period.
Research in my documentation has not turned up any similar objects to date. Possibly an order
made in France for export, the urns are unknown in the current literature.
Robert Robin (1741-1799), maitre on 21 November 1767
Marie-Antoinette’s favourite clockmaker
Robin belongs to a very small group of clock-makers whose innovations and work made
significant contributions to the development of the measurement of time. He was appointed
Master Horologer to the king and queen and other members of the royal family. Marie-
Antoinette’s 1793 inventory of her collections lists no fewer than 23 clocks by him. In the
course of his career, he accumulated an exceptional number of titles and positions with the
Royal family and subsequently with the Revolutionary governments:
Marchand-Horloger Privilégié du Roi 1763
Horloger du duc de Chartres 1778
Valet de Chambre-Horloger Ordinaire du Roi 1783
Valet de Chambre-Horloger Ordinaire de la Reine 1786
Horloger de Monsieur 1785
Horloger de la République 1794
Horloger du Directoire 1796
A DIRECTOIRE GILT AND PATINATED BRONZE
RECTANGULAR ALCOVE CLOCK (CARTEL D’ALCÔVE), THE
DIAL SIGNED ROBIN, THE MOVEMENT SIGNED ROBIN À
PARIS – CIRCA 1795
Height: 33.5 cm. (13 ¼ in.) Width: 27.5 cm. (10 ¾ in.)
The movement strikes the hours and quarter hours when the cord is pulled.
PROVENANCE
Galerie Fabre, Paris, 1988
COMPARATIVE LITERATURE
J-D. Augarde, Les Ouvriers du Temps, Geneva, 1996, pp. 391 and 393.
An identical clock case entirely in gilt bronze dating to the end of the Louis XVI period, the dial
signed à paris, was sold from the Alexander Collection at Christie’s New York, 30 April 1999, lot
148.
Robin managed to flourish in the revolutionary and post-revolutionary period, becoming Master
Horologer to the Republic and Directory successively in 1794 and 1796 (Augarde, loc. cit.).
92
1795-1799
Decorated with a frieze representing Apollo’s chariot, Mercury, Clio the Muse of History, Urania the
Muse of Astronomy and a female personification of Geography
Height: 62 cm. (24 ½ in.) Diameter: 24.5 cm. (9 ¾ in.) Width and depth of base: 17.6 cm. (7 in.)
This pair of urns illustrates the transition in taste from the late 18th to the early 19th century.
The register of the circular frieze depicting Clio, Urania and a personification of Geography is
typical of the late Louis XVI style. The opposing section representing Apollo in his chariot and
Mercury is closer to that of the Empire period.
Research in my documentation has not turned up any similar objects to date. Possibly an order
made in France for export, the urns are unknown in the current literature.
Robert Robin (1741-1799), maitre on 21 November 1767
Marie-Antoinette’s favourite clockmaker
Robin belongs to a very small group of clock-makers whose innovations and work made
significant contributions to the development of the measurement of time. He was appointed
Master Horologer to the king and queen and other members of the royal family. Marie-
Antoinette’s 1793 inventory of her collections lists no fewer than 23 clocks by him. In the
course of his career, he accumulated an exceptional number of titles and positions with the
Royal family and subsequently with the Revolutionary governments:
Marchand-Horloger Privilégié du Roi 1763
Horloger du duc de Chartres 1778
Valet de Chambre-Horloger Ordinaire du Roi 1783
Valet de Chambre-Horloger Ordinaire de la Reine 1786
Horloger de Monsieur 1785
Horloger de la République 1794
Horloger du Directoire 1796
A DIRECTOIRE GILT AND PATINATED BRONZE
RECTANGULAR ALCOVE CLOCK (CARTEL D’ALCÔVE), THE
DIAL SIGNED ROBIN, THE MOVEMENT SIGNED ROBIN À
PARIS – CIRCA 1795
Height: 33.5 cm. (13 ¼ in.) Width: 27.5 cm. (10 ¾ in.)
The movement strikes the hours and quarter hours when the cord is pulled.
PROVENANCE
Galerie Fabre, Paris, 1988
COMPARATIVE LITERATURE
J-D. Augarde, Les Ouvriers du Temps, Geneva, 1996, pp. 391 and 393.
An identical clock case entirely in gilt bronze dating to the end of the Louis XVI period, the dial
signed à paris, was sold from the Alexander Collection at Christie’s New York, 30 April 1999, lot
148.
Robin managed to flourish in the revolutionary and post-revolutionary period, becoming Master
Horologer to the Republic and Directory successively in 1794 and 1796 (Augarde, loc. cit.).
92
