Longcase Regulator Clock

Ferdinand Berthoud’s highly accurate movement and the design of Balthazar Lieutaud and Philippe Caffiéri combined to produce this sophisticated clock for a patron of discerning taste. Lieutaud used only straight lines to construct the simple and elegant case and veneered it with precious, exotic woods such as tulipwood, kingwood, and ama­ranth. An early proponent of neoclassicism, Caffiéri designed the gilt bronzes in the purest neoclassical style with ornamental elements drawn from classical architecture and subjects from classical mythology. The sculptural group at the apex of the clock represents Apollo driving his chariot on his daily journey across the sky.

Source: Vignon, Charlotte. The Frick Collection Decorative Arts Handbook. New York: The Frick Collection/Scala, 2015.