An important French large clock in gilt bronze, patinated bronze and Carrara marble

Material

Bronze; 207.5 x 68 x 29.8 cm

Dating

appr. 1890

About the artist

Frédéric-Eugène Piat was a famous French sculptor and stucco plasterer, creating mostly designs and models for clocks, ceiling and table lamps, candelabras and chandeliers. All of his designs were executed by the leading firms of Parisian high quality bronze casters and displayed at the major international exhibitions of that time. Stylistically, his work is characteristic of Historism and the eclecticism was well received by the audience at that time.
His pendulum clock models mark the beginning of his career. In 1855, at the ‘Exposition universelle de Paris‘ he created a clock named ‘Printemps et Automne’ for the manufacturer Dépensier and a clockwork for the clock ‘L’industrie écrasant l’ignorance dévourée par l’envie’ for the manufacturer Boyer. With these two creations Piat made a name for himself and started his collaboration with the famous French bronze manufacturer Victor Alexandre Paillard.
The success of his works at several exhibitions as well as the originality of his creations led to his nickname ‘king of bronze’. Additionally he won several important awards.