Ref.10867
Léon MESSAGÉ (1842-1901) (att. to) - Antique Louis XV style clock

This Louis XV style clock in gilt bronze was made around 1900. Identifiable by its rococo-inspired style made of curves and twists, this cmock is attributed to Léon Messagé who made of this original aesthetic his signature. The mechanism of the clock is modern and the dial is signed « S. Colin & Cie » then « Paris 17, rue des Tournelles ». The decoration of these elements is very rich and complex and the ornamental repertoire is characteristic of the Rococo style. The dial is adorned with acanthus and laurel leaves curled like a crown. The lower part is devoted to the marine theme with shells, including a large overturned in the center, and two dolphins on each side, a motif often used by Léon Messagé. Remember that the French term « Rocaille », from which comes from « rococo », originally refers to ornamentation imitating rocks, natural stones and shells. Typical large curves of this aesthetic, set back on either side of the dial, support the structure of the object that ends with four sinuous feet on a finely decorated tray. A bearded man mask similar to a faun merges in the center into the decor. A certain extravagance emanates from this clock with very tormented lines. This impression of movement, already present in the Rococo style, takes a certain scale at the end of the 19th century when Art Nouveau imposes a quasi-organic aesthetic that is not unrelated to the Rococo style. But Léon Messagé remains above all a historicist artist and great interpreter of the Louis XV style as confirm the motifs used: acanthus leaves, laurel branches, curves and a winged putto with bow and quiver enthroned at the top of the clock.