Cartel attributed to André-Charles Boulle (1642-1732), who became a master craftsman before 1666.
The circular dial in finely chiselled bronze displays the hours in Roman numerals on twelve enamelled iron cartouches, with polished steel hands.
The minutes are engraved in Arabic numerals on the border.
The movement is signed on the dial and on the back plate by Denis CHAMPION in Paris (1643–1706), who was the clockmaker to the Duke and Duchess of Orléans.
Chimes every half hour and hour. Escapement changed in England.
Violet wood and ebony veneer marquetry, richly decorated with chiselled and gilded bronze.
Dimensions : H 79 cm L 54 cm P 23 cm
The ‘doll's head’ shaped case was designed very early on by André-Charles Boulle before 1700, as shown in the red chalk drawing kept at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris (Inv. 723 D6). Cupid is perched at the top of the dial, overlooking Saturn, the figure of Time, who is shown reclining on a projection of the case beneath the dial, clinging with his left hand and holding his attributes in front of him. The sides are decorated with a woman's head in espagnolette style, wearing a crown of flowers.
Although there are several cartels of this model made by André-Charles Boulle, whose quality justifies their preservation in museum collections, only one other example made of wood marquetry like this one is known to exist. It belongs to the collections of Waddesdon Manor, near London, a residence created by the Rothschild family to house part of their exceptional collection. The death of clockmaker Denis Champion in 1706 places the creation of these wooden marquetry cartels at the very end of the 17th century or around 1700.
