Clock
Decorative Arts and Design
This monumental clock was a diplomatic gift presented by Napoleon to Robert Livingston, the American minister to France from 1801 to 1804. The classically inspired decoration on the clock includes a figure and relief of Apollo, the Greek sun god; a laurel wreath; and a smaller plaque representing Ganymede, the Greek wine bearer of the gods. These elements were part of the design vocabulary of the Neoclassical style, called Empire in France.
MEDIUM
Gilded bronze, marble, enamel
DATES
ca. 1800
DIMENSIONS
33 1/2 × 26 × 9 1/4 in. (85.1 × 66 × 23.5 cm)
(show scale)
INSCRIPTIONS
Inscribed on clock face: "Henry Voisin A - Paris"
ACCESSION NUMBER
39.438a
CREDIT LINE
Gift of Mrs. Frederick A. Yenni
PROVENANCE
Prior to 1808, provenance not yet documented; before 1808, reportedly acquired by Robert Robert Livingston of New York, NY; 1808, reportedly given by Robert Robert Livingston to Robert Fulton of New York; 1815, inherited from Robert Fulton by Harriet Livingston Fulton; 1826, probably inherited from Harriet Livingston Fulton (later, Harriet Livingston Dale) by her family; by 1863, reportedly inherited through the family by Robert B. Livingston; 1863, reportedly purchased from the estate of Robert B. Livingston by Frederick A. Yenni of Brooklyn, NY; 1883, gift of Frederick A. Yenni to Mrs. Frederick A. Yenni, probably Anna Deming Courtney Yenni, of Brooklyn; September 25, 1939, gift of Mrs. Frederick A. Yenni to the Brooklyn Museum.
Provenance FAQ
CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION
Clock, Empire style. Case is gilt bronze, square construction with applied decoration of stars, wreaths and ribbons, surrounding a white enamel face with without glass covering. The face is inscribed. The clock case rests on a slab of marble and has to its proper right a mythological figure with one arm on top of the clock and holding a harp. To the proper left is a flame torchiere resting on a tricorn base decorated by three rams heads. A gold laurel wreath is leaning against the base of the torchiere.
Condition: Good.
MUSEUM LOCATION
This item is not on view
CAPTION
(internal clockworks) Henry Voisin (French, active early 19th century). Clock, ca. 1800. Gilded bronze, marble, enamel, 33 1/2 × 26 × 9 1/4 in. (85.1 × 66 × 23.5 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Mrs. Frederick A. Yenni, 39.438a. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 39.438a_front_PS6.jpg)
IMAGE
front, 39.438a_front_PS6.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph, 2012
"CUR" at the beginning of an image file name means that the image was created by a curatorial staff member. These study images may be digital point-and-shoot photographs, when we don\'t yet have high-quality studio photography, or they may be scans of older negatives, slides, or photographic prints, providing historical documentation of the object.
RIGHTS STATEMENT
Creative Commons-BY
You may download and use Brooklyn Museum images of this three-dimensional work in accordance with a
Creative Commons license. Fair use, as understood under the United States Copyright Act, may also apply.
Please include caption information from this page and credit the Brooklyn Museum. If you need a high resolution file, please fill out our online
application form (charges apply).
For further information about copyright, we recommend resources at the
United States Library of Congress,
Cornell University,
Copyright and Cultural Institutions: Guidelines for U.S. Libraries, Archives, and Museums, and
Copyright Watch.
For more information about the Museum's rights project, including how rights types are assigned, please see our
blog posts on copyright.
If you have any information regarding this work and rights to it, please contact
copyright@brooklynmuseum.org.
RECORD COMPLETENESS
Not every record you will find here is complete. More information is available for some works than for others, and some entries have been updated more recently. Records are frequently reviewed and revised, and
we welcome any additional information you might have.
Is this a specific style?
The Henri Voison clock is a good example of the "Empire Style" which idealized Napoleon's leadership and the French state. We could also refer to this style as "Neoclassical," which in the United States is more based on the designs of Classical Greece and Rome. It makes references to Greek and Roman mythology, including the god Apollo here.
Does this clock still work?
Hm, I don't think so. The hands in the photo you sent are in the same position as the photo we have on file so it looks like it hasn't tick-tocked in a while!
Please tell me more.
This clock, designed by Henri Voisin, is an example of "Empire Style" which idealized Napoleon's leadership and the French state. It was a gift from Napoleon to Robert Livingston, American minister to France between 1801 and 1805. Notice Apollo's posture, with all the weight on one leg. This pose is known as "contrapposto". Ancient Greek sculptors arranged figures in this way to create a sense of subtle dynamism and naturalism. Designers of the Empire Style were looking to Classical Art for inspiration.
