Venus Clipping the Wings of Cupid Mantel Clock by Thomire & Cie

This splendid Empire gilt bronze French mantel clock, signed on the dial by bronzier Pierre-Philippe Thomire and watchmaker Louis Moinet, features an exquisitely detailed scene of Venus clipping the wings of Cupid on a base of red cherry marble. Venus, embodying the essence of love and beauty, assumes a posture of regal elegance as she sits upon a bronze throne, delicately wielding punishing shears. Beside her, Cupid, her son, pleads for his freedom with an air of cherubic defiance. The goddess confronts conflicting emotions of maternal concern and divine authority as she administers Cupid's punishment.

Cupid is a mischievous god, and his antics often lead to his mother having to invoke maternal justice. In this gilded depiction of the mother and son, Venus clips Cupid’s wings to keep him from flying away just as one may treat a wandering pet bird. In this stunning clock, love and punishment intertwine in a delicate dance of fate.

Pierre-Philippe Thomire, a prominent French artisan of the Neoclassical period, distinguished himself as a master bronzier during the Empire. Born in Paris, Thomire apprenticed under the esteemed sculptor and chaser Pierre Gouthière, refining his skills in the intricate art of bronze casting and chasing. Establishing his own workshop in 1776, Thomire rapidly gained recognition for his exceptional craftsmanship, becoming the preeminent bronzier of his era. His creations, characterized by meticulous detailing and refined design, exemplify the Neoclassical aesthetic. This exquisite mantel clock, crafted in the 19th century, remains an enduring testament to Thomire's artistic legacy.

Louis Moinet, a highly esteemed watchmaker, inventor, scholar and manufacturer of precision instruments, became president of the Société de Chronométrie in Paris. Born in Bourges, he spent five years in Rome where he studied architecture, sculpture and painting. Moinet was well acquainted with the arts and, for this reason, he fully understood the aesthetic importance of each of his clocks. Moinet also achieved fame with his book, Nouveau traité général et civil Astronomique et pratique de l'horlogerie, published in 1843.

Moinet worked closely with the bronzier Thomire. The two were responsible for making many important clocks, including one for Napoleon Bonaparte in 1806, known as the Napoleon clock, now at the National Museum Speelklok in Utrecht. Moinet and Thomire also collaborated on clocks for the King of Naples, George IV of England and Tsar Alexander of Russia. While in Paris, Thomas Jefferson acquired a clock from Moinet and Thomire, which accompanied the President for two terms in the White House. When James Monroe became president, he also commissioned a clock from the pair in 1817.

Circa 19th Century

16 1/4" high by 14 1/8" wide by 7 7/8" wide