This clock, in white and grey marble, clearly draws on classical inspiration. It is decorated with two blued bronze caryatids, standing as pilasters flanking the barrel housing the dial and clock movement. At the top, there is an amphora and shield-like ornament. Beneath the barrel, there is a gilded bronze bas-relief depicting an altar of love. Elements taken from classical architecture, garlands, laurel wreaths, torches and small medallions with classical busts complete the decoration. The base is made of marble.

The white enamel dial shows the hours in painted black Roman numerals and the minutes in Arabic numerals. Two winding holes. The pierced gilded metal hands are decorated in vegetal motifs. The clockmaker's signature is shown on the dial above the hand stem: 'Lerolle Frères'. Beneath the barrel: 'A Pariae' (with the A and P joined).

It has a French two-train pendule de Paris movement with an eight-day spring-driven going train. Anchor escapement and pendulum. and a striking train which sounds the hours and half hours.

In his Dictionnaire des horlogers français, H. L. Tardy lists Lerolle Frères, bronze founders and clockmakers with an address in Paris at the Chaussée des Minimes, in 1840, and at the Chaussée d' Antin between 1850-1860. The factory was founded by Louis Lerolle (1813-1875). In 1849, he handed over the running of the foundry to his children Édouard-François and Camille, who created Lerolle Frères. The siblings were trained sculptors. They exhibited at the Exposition Universelle in 1839 and won a silver medal at the Exhibition of Agricultural and Industrial Products in 1849. Throughout the latter half of the nineteenth century, they continued to show their work at other expositions (1851, 1855 and 1867). In 1855 they received a first class medal for a surtout de table for the Princess of Butera. Most of their creations, especially their clocks, reflect this taste for sculpture, as we can see in this example.

This clock is included in a list of undated acquisitions in the Curatorship archives.

The candelabra are each formed by a pair of blued bronze dancing figures, surrounded by garlands, holding up the labrae. The upper section, in gilded bronze, has a central urn with large acanthus leaves supporting seven arms, one central and the others in avolute forms. Octagonal pedestal in grey marble.

The clock may depict an allegory of agriculture. One of the female figures on the clock case is holding an ear of corn and a sickle. She personifies the goddess Demeter. One of the figures on the candelabra can be identified by her four small wings as Psyche.

Amelia Aranda Huete