Pallas Athéna , A Very Fine Quality Empire Figural Clock

A very fine Empire gilt and patinated bronze and rouge griotte marble figural clock of fourteen day duration attributed to Gérard-Jean Galle. The hexagonal gilt bronze shield-form dial centred by a magnificent Medusa head with Roman numerals within a circular laurel wreath and blued steel hands for the hours and minutes. The movement with anchor escapement, silk thread suspension, striking on the hour and half hour on a single bell, with outside count wheel. The magnificent case featuring Pallas Athene wearing a plumed helmet, an armoured breastplate, a short tunic beneath a long cloak gathered at the shoulder, sandals and holding a spear in her right hand and resting her left hand on the top of the shield-shaped dial, the goddess standing on a rectangular gilt bronze banded red griotte marble plinth
Paris, date circa 1820
Height 60 cm, width: 26.5cm, depth: 15.5cm
Literature: Luis Montañés, “Catálogo ilustrado del Museo de Relojes de las bodegas Zoilo Ruiz-Mateos”, 1977, p. 138, illustrating a clock of the same model in the Museo de Relojes, La Atalaya, Jerez de la Frontera. Tardy, “Les Plus Belles Pendules Françaises”, 1994, p. 278, illustrating a very similar clock with an almost identical figure of Pallas Athene who holds the shield-shaped dial to her chest. Elke Niehüser, “Die Französische Bronzeuhr”, 1997, p. 230, pl. 652, illustrating a clock of the exact same model with additional mounts on the plinth. Pierre Kjellberg, “Encyclopédie de la Pendule Française du Moyen Age au XXe Siècle”, 1997, p. 412, pl. B, illustrating a clock of the exact same model but with an additional mounts on the rouge griotte marble plinth.
The case, of superb quality, corresponds to an identical model in the Museo de Relojes, La Atalaya, Jerez de la Frontera as well as another in the Musée Marmottan, Paris. The attribution to the eminent bronzier Gérard-Jean Galle (1788-1846) is based on its close similarity in style, subject and quality to one which he supplied to Stockholm Castle on 12th June 1823 as well as others housed in Schloss Ehrenburg at Coburg, the Spanish Royal Collection and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Paris, discussed and illustrated in Tardy op. cit. and Hans Ottomeyer and Peter Pröschel, “Vergoldete Bronzen”, 1986, p. 397, pl. 5.18.12.
Gérard-Jean Galle, who was the eldest son of the renowned bronzier, Claude Galle (1759-1815), took over the family business at rue Vivienne on his father’s death and soon proved that he could maintain its excellent repute. Regarded as one of the best in Paris, he was patronised by an elite clientele including the duc de Richelieu, the marquis de Martel and viscount de la Rochefoucauld. Born at rue du Four, Paris, Gérard-Jean and his younger brother, Jean-Auguste (b. 1790) trained under their father but then joined the army after completing their apprenticeship. Gérard proved a brilliant soldier and was knighted in 1815. In 1810 Claude Galle requested from the Emperor his sons’ leave of the army so that they could run the family business. In 1815 Napoleon was overthrown and Claude Galle died, leaving Gérard’s stepmother in temporary charge until soon after Gérard-Jean returned home and took over the family business. In 1819 Gérard won a silver medal at the Exposition de 1’Industrie for an outstanding collection of bronzes consisting predominantly of light fittings and clock cases. The latter were supplied to some of the best Parisian clockmakers including Bourdier; Galle also specialized in making clocks with corresponding candelabra, of which at least two are at Stockholm Castle.
The present case represents Pallas Athene, also known as Minerva who was one of the twelve Olympians deities. She was worshipped both as a goddess of wisdom as well as a goddess of war and protected many Greek cities, notably Athens, which bears her name. According to mythology she was the daughter of Jupiter and sprang fully armed from his head. A virgin goddess who refused to marry she was also a warrior-goddess and participated in the god’s battle against the giants. Due to her conquests she is often associated with Victory and is almost always represented wearing a helmet and spear in hand. The serpent-haired head of Medusa was given to her by Perseus after she had helped him slay the monster; hence Medusa’s head appears here on the shield-shaped dial.