A CELADON CLOCK WITH COCKEREL HEADS
France, Louis XVI period
Movement signed Gille l’Aîné (1723−1784)
Chased and gilt bronze circa 1775
Celadon, late Ming dynasty (1600−1644)
Provenance : Baron Pierre de Gunzburg collectio
Height: 49,5 cm – 19 1⁄2 inches
Width: 40,5 cm – 16 inches
Depth: 32 cm – 12 2⁄3 inches
Combining sumptuous Chinese celadon, a finely chased gilt bronze mount, and a complex clockwork mechanism, this clock is the epitome of sophistication. It bears witness to the artistry and inventiveness of the greatest marchands merciers. The distinctive iconography of this model, produced in several versions, has made it a work of art prized by leading collectors since the 18th century.
THE ART OF MARCHANDS MERCIERS
Designed by a talented marchand mercier, this clock combines three areas of expertise brought to perfection: Chinese celadon, French gilt bronze, and clockwork mechanisms.
In the 18th century, guilds regulated the practice of craft professions, requiring artisans to practice only one trade. Marchands merciers were therefore indispensable for the creation of complex furniture and objets d’art, combining various specialties. True creators of taste in the 18th century, they coordinated the creation of masterpieces of decorative arts, multiplying novelties to the delight of their refined clientele. They also knew how to source rare materials from elsewhere, such as Asian lacquerware and ceramic.
The design of this clock is similar to the creations of the greatest marchands merciers of the time: Dominique Daguerre, Simon-Philippe Poirier, Claude-François Julliot, and Pierre Lebrun. To create this clock, the merchant combined a superb celadon from the late Ming dynasty (1600−1644), a finely chased and gilt bronze mount, and a complex clockwork mechanism.
Celadon
Celadons were imported into Europe by Eastern companies from the second half of the 17th century onwards. They were given their name in France, probably after the color of the ribbon worn by the shepherd Celadon in Honoré d’Urfé’s novel L’Astrée (published between 1607 and 1628). In the 18th century, these ceramics became increasingly sought after. In catalogs and inventories, the most beautiful pieces were said to come from Japan—a provenance that was then a guarantee of exceptional quality—and were described as “sea green” or “pearl gray.” In the middle of Louis XV’s reign, celadons were the centerpieces of the collections of the greatest marchands merciers.: between 1750 and 1756, a third of Lazare Duvaux’s (1703−1758) stock of Far Eastern porcelain consisted of celadons. The interest of wealthy collectors allowed them to adorn celadons with sumptuous mounts. They turned them into fountains, perfume burners, ewers and, more rarely, clocks. Celadons were the centerpieces of the collections of the greatest enthusiasts of Far Eastern porcelain in the second half of the 18th century.
Fig. 1 — Watercolor depicting a celadon ewer from a pair intended for the Duc d’Aumont, with bronze mounts by Pierre Gouthière, illustration from the catalog of the Duc d’Aumont’s sale in 1782, Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale de France, RES V 2856
The Marquise de Pompadour probably had the largest collection, with 74 celadons. Other major collectors, including Randon de Boisset, Jullienne, and Abbé Leblanc, also owned significant numbers. The king was not to be outdone. Louis XV, followed by Louis XVI, owned remarkable celadons.
Gilt bronze
Marchands merciers were one of the main drivers behind the spread of gilt bronze in large French residences. As arbiters of taste in the 18th century, they found in this metal a material that allowed them to maintain constant innovation and marked luxury. They came up with the idea of placing numerous objects, porcelain pieces, hard stones, and works of art in sumptuous gilt bronze mounts. Able to combine different specialties, they brought together their favorite bronze workers with the best cabinetmakers, sculptors, and ornamentalists, enabling them to create new pieces of remarkable quality.
The greatest bronze workers of the second half of the century were employed by marchands merciers to provide their celadons with superb mounts. A drawing illustrating the catalog of the Duc d’Aumont’s sale in 1782 (Fig. 1) shows a pair of celadon ewers with sumptuous gilt bronze decoration by Pierre Gouthière (1732−1813). The bronzes on our clock are of the same high quality as the most important contemporary works. The interplay of matte and bruni gilding, the diversity and finesse of the chasing, and the liveliness of the modeling testify to exceptional skill and craftsmanship (Fig. 2).
Fig. 2 - Detail of the bronzes
Clockmaking
The enlightened minds of the 18th century were fascinated by mechanisms and technical complications. They saw clocks as combining two of their passions: an aesthetic object and a sophisticated mechanism. In the second half of the century, some clockmakers developed mechanisms with rotating dials, such as the one in our clock. The hand was fixed, while the rotation of the dial allowed the hours to be tracked.
Many renowned clockmakers produced mechanisms based on this model. Among them was Pierre II Gille, known as “Gille l’Aîné” (1723−1784), who designed the mechanism for our clock. Based first on Rue Saint-Denis and then Rue aux Ours in Paris, he began his career working alongside his father. Quickly recognized for his great skill, he worked for a varied clientele from the aristocracy, including Prince Charles of Lorraine, the Duke of Gramont, the Prince of Condé, and Augustus II of Saxony.
A COLLECTOR’S MODEL
Since the 18th century, this clock model has been prized by the most discerning enthusiasts and collectors. Consisting of a precious celadon vase, it is adorned with bronze garlands and framed by crowing rooster heads. It is mentioned in several documents, notably in the sale of Denis Pierre Jean Papillon de la Ferté’s estate on February 20, 1797:
241. A sturdy vase serving as a clock, blue background with darker flowers, decorated with rotating circles and cockerel heads, with a gaudron throat, placed on copper and green sea bases. H. 24 in.
This example from the collections of the intendant of the Menus Plaisirs at the King’s Household attests to the popularity of this model among the most refined figures of the period.
Fig. 3 — Louis Ourry (clockmaker), Lepaute (clockmaker), Henry Martinot (clockmaker), Crackled celadon clock with cockerels and rotating dial, 18th century, Versailles, National Museum of the Castles of Versailles and Trianon (inv. V 4799) © Palace of Versailles, Dist. RMN / © Christophe Foui
Fig. 4 - Denis Masson (movement), Crackled celadon clock with cockerels and rotating dials, Louis XVI period, formerly in the collections of Sophia Charlotte, Baroness of Howe (1762−1835) and then Karl Lagerfeld
Six clocks from this set are known to exist today. The first clock, which is the closest to our model, is kept at the Palace of Versailles (Fig. 3). Other examples have been part of prestigious private collections: the Simone del Duca collection, the Karl Lagerfeld collection (Fig. 4), and the Marquis collection. Our example comes from the collections of Baron Pierre de Gunzburg, an important 20th-century collector from a prominent industrial family.
THE COCKEREL, FRENCH EMBLEM
The association of the cockerel with the French spirit dates back to the Gallic Wars, when the Romans mischievously likened the proud bird to the Gallic people. During the reign of Louis XIV, this comparison was revived and elevated to an emblem. Used by Charles Le Brun in the design of the new French architectural order in 1671, the cockerel appears notably on the capitals of the pilasters in the Galerie des Galces in Versailles (Fig. 5). Traditionally associated with combat, pride, and vigilance, it symbolizes the sovereign’s protective mission towards his people. Moreover, the cockerel is a solar animal that summons the return of the sun each morning, a sovereign king who subjects the sun and time to his will.
Fig. 5 - Capital of the French Order, Galerie des glaces, Château de Versailles
Fig. 6 — Jean-Baptiste Toré (engineer), Jean-Joseph Lemaire (sculpture), Barometer of the Dauphin, 1773–1775, Versailles, Châteaux de Versailles et Trianon (inv. VMB 14597) © Château de Versailles, Dist. RMN / © Christophe Fouin
The animal can be found on several works intended for the French sovereigns, notably the barometer commissioned by Louis XV in 1773 for the Dauphin (Fig. 6), or on the pair of armchairs delivered by Georges Jacob (1739−1814) for Marie Antoinette at Versailles in around 1780.
The two cockerels on our clock are modeled with striking naturalism. Their beaks are slightly open, letting out their crow, announcing the passing of time.
Bibliography
Jean-Baptiste-Pierre Lebrun, Catalogue d’une collection de tableaux des trois écoles et en tapisserie, pastels, gouaches, dessins coloriés […] : [vente du 20 février 1797], Bibliothèque de l’Institut National d’Histoire de l’Art, collections Jacques Doucet, inv. VP RES 18 B.
Jean-Dominique Augarde, Les Ouvriers du Temps, Genève, Antiquorum éditions, 1996, p. 212, fig. 171, p.324.
Stéphane Castelluccio, Le goût pour les porcelaines de Chine et du Japon à Paris aux XVIIe et XVIIIe siècles, Saint-Rémy-en‑l’Eau, éditions Monelle Hayot, 2013
Pierre Verlet, Les bronzes dorés français du XVIIIe siècle, Paris, Picard, 1987
Come and discover this clock at Frieze Masters London, from October 15 to 19, 2025.
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