Clock

Art Historical Context

This charming 18th-century French, crafted in Paris on Rue de Bondy, the opulent decorative arts of the Ancien Régime. Standing at 14⅜ inches tall, it features delicate hard-paste biscuit porcelain—likely depicting women and children, as suggested by its motifs—mounted on ornate gilt bronze. Biscuit porcelain, unglazed and matte, was a prized innovation from the period, prized for its soft, skin-like realism that mimicked marble sculptures while allowing intricate detailing unattainable in glazed wares. Produced during the height of Parisian luxury craftsmanship, the clock blends horology with sculpture, a hallmark of French ateliers where clockmakers collaborated with porcelain modelers. Rue de Bondy, a hub for such makers, produced these elegant timepieces for aristocratic homes, symbolizing wealth and refinement. The gilt bronze elements add a lavish Rococo flair, with scrolling mounts that enhance the porcelain's ethereal quality. Today, housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's European Sculpture and Decorative Arts department through the 1912 bequest of Horatio C. Kretschmar, this piece invites us to marvel at 18th-century ingenuity—where timekeeping became a canvas for artistry and storytelling.

About the Artist

Rue de Bondy

**Rue de Bondy** was a prominent porcelain manufactory located on the Rue de Bondy in Paris, active during the 18th century and specializing in high-quality hard-paste porcelain. Operating under royal and aristocratic patronage, the workshop produced decorative objects that combined delicate biscuit porcelain with ornate gilt-bronze mounts, reflecting the refined tastes of the French court and eli...