Empire clock 'Winged Genius with Lyre'

Gilded bronzes enjoyed great popularity in the early 19th century. Some 40 cm high, this pendulum clock on a marble base shows a standing gilded figure with wings that is wrapped in a cloth from the waist down. She is playing the lyre, the oldest Greek stringed instrument, which looks similar to a harp. The clock face is set into the instrument. This sculpture was created by André Antoine Raviro, a talented medallist, chaser and sculptor in Paris. His well-heeled customers are said to have included Napoleon I himself. Raviro ran a renowned company that produced luxurious – meaning expensive – art and decorative objects. A significant part of the production costs of this sculpture went on the elaborate fire-gilding process, a technique perfected in France. Bronze objects were coated with gold, but the process released highly toxic mercury vapours that proved fatal for many workers. Raviro himself fell victim to this dangerous skill, too, and succumbed to the poisoning.